Genetic control of plant growth and development

ABSTRACT

The wheat Rht gene and homologues from other species including rice and maize (the D8 gene), useful for modification of growth and/or development characteristics of plants. Transgenic plants and methods for their production.

This is a 371 of PCT/GB98/02383, filed Aug. 7, 1998.

This invention relates to the genetic control of growth and/or development of plants and the cloning and expression of genes involved therein. More particularly, the invention relates to the cloning and expression of the Rht gene of Triticum Aestivum, and homologues from other species, and use of the genes in plants.

An understanding of the genetic mechanisms which influence growth and development of plants, including flowering, provides a means for altering the characteristics of a target plant. Species for which manipulation of growth and/or development characteristics may be advantageous includes all crops, with important examples being the cereals, rice and maize, probably the most agronomically important in warmer climatic zones, and wheat, barley, oats and rye in more temperate climates. Important crops for seed products are oil seed rape and canola, maize, sunflower, soyabean and sorghum. Many crops which are harvested for their roots are, of course, grown annually from seed and the production of seed of any kind is very dependent upon the ability of the plant to flower, to be pollinated and to set seed. In horticulture, control of the timing of growth and development, including flowering, is important. Horticultural plants whose flowering may be controlled include lettuce, endive and vegetable brassicas including cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, and carnations and geraniums. Dwarf plants on the one hand and over-size, taller plants on the other may be advantageous and/or desirable in various horticultural and agricultural contexts, further including trees, plantation crops and grasses.

Recent decades have seen huge increases in wheat grain yields due to the incorporation of semi-dwarfing Rht homeoalleles into breeding programmes. These increases have enabled wheat productivity to keep pace with the demands of the rising world population. Previously, we described the cloning of the Arabidopsis gai alleles (International patent application PCT/GB97/00390 filed Feb. 12, 1997 and published as WO97/29123 on Aug. 14, 1998, John Innes Centre Innovations Limited, the full contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) which, like Rht mutant alleles in wheat (a monocot), confers a semi-dominant dwarf phenotype in Arabidopsis (a dicot) and a reduction in responsiveness to the plant growth hormone gibberellin (GA). gai encodes a mutant protein (gai) which lacks a 17 amino acid residue segment found near the N-terminus of the wild-type (GAI) protein. The sequence of this segment is highly conserved in a rice cDNA sequence (EST). Here we show that this cDNA maps to a short section of the overlapping cereal genome maps known to contain the Rht loci, and that we have used the cDNA to isolate the Rht genes of wheat. That genomes as widely diverged as those of Arabidopsis and Triticum should carry a conserved sequence which, when mutated, affects GA responsiveness, indicates a role for that sequence in GA signalling that is conserved throughout the plant kingdom. Furthermore, cloning of Rht permits its transfer to many different crop species, with the aim of yield enhancement as great as that obtained previously with wheat.

The introduction of semi-dwarfing Rht homeoalleles (originally known as Norin 10 genes, derived from a Japanese variety, Norin 10) into elite bread-wheat breeding lines was one of the most significant contributors to the so-called “green revolution” (Gale et al, 1985. Dwarfing genes in wheat. In: Progress in Plant Breeding, G.E. Russell (ed) Butterworths, London pp 1-35). Wheat containing these homeoalleles consistently out-yield wheats lacking them, and now comprise around 80% of the world's wheat crop. The biological basis of this yield-enhancement appears to be two-fold. Firstly, the semi-dwarf phenotype conferred by the Rht alleles causes an increased resistance to lodging (flattening of plants by wind/rain with consequent loss of yield). Secondly, these alleles cause a reallocation of photoassimilate, with more being directed towards the grain, and less towards the stem (Gale et al, 1985). These properties have major effects on wheat yields, as demonstrated by the fact that UK wheat yields increased by over 20% during the years that Rht-containing lines were taken up by farmers.

The rht mutants are dwarfed because they contain a genetically dominant, mutant rht allele which compromises their responses to gibberellin (GA, an endogenous plant growth regulator) (Gale et al, 1976. Heredity 37; 283-289). Thus the coleoptiles of rht mutants, unlike those of wild-type wheat plants, do not respond to GA applications. In addition, rht mutants accumulate biologically active GAs to higher levels than found in wild-type controls (Lenton et al, 1987. Gibberellin insensitivity and depletion in wheat—consequences for development. In: Hormone action in Plant Development—a critical appraisal. G V Haod, J R Lenton, M E Jackson and R K Atkin (eds) Butterworths, London pp 145-160). These properties (genetic dominance, reduced GA-responses, and high endogenous GA levels) are common to the phenotypes conferred by mutations in other species (D8/D9 in maize; gai in Arabidopsis), indicating that these mutant alleles define orthologous genes in these different species, supported further by the observation that D8/D9 and Rht are syntenous loci in the genomes of maize and wheat.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide with Rht function. The term “Rht function” indicates ability to influence the phenotype of a plant like the Rht gene of Triticum. “Rht function” may be observed phenotypically in a plant as inhibition, suppression, repression or reduction of plant growth which inhibition, suppression, repression or reduction is antagonised by GA. Rht expression tends to confer a dwarf phenotype on a plant which is antagonised by GA.

Overexpression in a plant from a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide with Rht function may be used to confer a dwarf phenotype on a plant which is correctable by treatment with GA.

Also according to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide with ability to confer a rht mutant phenotype upon expression. rht mutant plants are dwarfed compared with wild-type, the dwarfing being GA-insensitive. Herein, “Rht” (capitalised) is used to refer to the wild-type function, while “rht” (uncapitalised) is used to refer to mutant function.

Many plant growth and developmental processes are regulated by specific members of a family of tetracyclic diterpenoid growth factors known as gibberellins (GA) (Hooley, Plant Mol. Biol. 26, 1529-1555 (1994)). By gibberellin or GA is meant a diterpenoid molecule with the basic carbon-ring structure shown in FIG. 5 and possessing biological activity, i.e. we refer to biologically active gibberellins.

Biological activity may be defined by one or more of stimulation of cell elongation, leaf senescence or elicitation of the cereal aleurone α-amylase response. There are many standard assays available in the art, a positive result in any one or more of which signals a test gibberellin as biologically active (Hoad et al., Phytochemistry 20, 703-713 (1981); Serebryakov et al., Phytochemistry 23, 1847-1854 (1984); Smith et al., Phytochemistry 33, 17-20 (1993)).

Assays available in the art include the lettuce hypocotyl assay, cucumber hypocotyl assay, and oat first leaf assay, all of which determine biological activity on the basis of ability of an applied gibberellin to cause elongation of the respective tissue. Preferred assays are those in which the test composition is applied to a gibberellin-deficient plant. Such preferred assays include treatment of dwarf GA-deficient Arabidopsis to determine growth, the dwarf pea assay, in which internode elongation is determined, the Tan-ginbozu dwarf rice assay, in which elongation of leaf sheath is determined, and the d5-maize assay, also in which elongation of leaf sheath is determined. The elongation bioassays measure the effects of general cell elongation in the respective organs and are not restricted to particular cell types.

Further available assays include the dock (Rumex) leaf senescence assay and the cereal aleurone α-amylase assay. Aleurone cells which surround the endosperm in grain secrete α-amylase on germination, which digests starch to produce sugars then used by the growing plant. The enzyme production is controlled by GA. Isolated aleurone cells given biologically active GA secrete α-amylase whose activity can then be assayed, for example by measurement of degradation of starch.

Structural features important for high biological activity (exhibited by GA₁, GA₃, GA₄ and GA₇) are a carboxyl group on C-6 of B-ring; C-19, C-10 lactone; and β-hydroxylation at C-3. β-hydroxylation at C-2 causes inactivity (exhibited by GA_(8,) GA₂₉, GA₃₄ and GA₅₁). rht mutants do not respond to GA treatment, e.g. treatment with GA₁, GA₃ or GA₄.

Treatment with GA is preferably by spraying with aqueous solution, for example spraying with 10⁻⁴M GA₃ or GA₄ in aqueous solution, perhaps weekly or more frequently, and may be by placing droplets on plants rather than spraying. GA may be applied dissolved in an organic solvent such as ethanol or acetone, because it is more soluble in these than in water, but this is not preferred because these solvents have a tendency to damage plants. If an organic solvent is to be used, suitable formulations include 24η1 of 0.6, 4.0 or 300 mM GA₃ or GA₄ dissolved in 80% ethanol. Plants, e.g. Arabidopsis, may be grown on a medium containing GA, such as tissue culture medium (GM) solidified with agar and containing supplementary GA.

Nucleic acid according to the present invention may have the sequence of a wild-type Rht gene of Triticum or be a mutant, derivative, variant or allele of the sequence provided. Preferred mutants, derivatives, variants and alleles are those which encode a protein which retains a functional characteristic of the protein encoded by the wild-type gene, especially the ability for plant growth inhibition, which inhibition is antagonised by GA, or ability to confer on a plant one or more other characteristics responsive to GA treatment of the plant. Other preferred mutants, derivatives, variants and alleles encode a protein which confers a rht mutant phenotype, that is to say reduced plant growth which reduction is insensitive to GA, i.e. not overcome by GA treatment. Changes to a sequence, to produce a mutant, variant or derivative, may be by one or more of addition, insertion, deletion or substitution of one or more nucleotides in the nucleic acid, leading to the addition, insertion, deletion or substitution of one or more amino acids in the encoded polypeptide. Of course, changes to the a nucleic acid which make no difference to the encoded amino acid sequence are included.

A preferred nucleotide sequence for a Rht gene is one which encodes the RHT amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 3b, especially a Rht coding sequence shown in FIG. 3a. A preferred rht mutant lacks part or all of the 17 amino acid sequence underlined in FIG. 3b, and/or part or the sequence DVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:4), which immediately follows the 17 amino acid sequence underlined in FIG. 3b.

Further preferred nucleotide sequences encode the amino acid sequence shown in any other figure herein, especially a coding sequence shown in a Figure. Further embodiments of the present invention, in all aspects, employ a nucleotide-sequence encoding the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 6b, 7 b, 8 b, 9 b, 11 b, 11 d or 12 b. Such a coding sequence may be as shown in FIG. 6a, 7 a, 8 a, 9 a, 11 a, 11 c or 12 a.

The present invention also provides a nucleic acid construct or vector which comprises nucleic acid with any one of the provided sequences, preferably a construct or vector from which polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid sequence can be expressed. The construct or vector is preferably suitable for transformation into a plant cell. The invention further encompasses a host cell transformed with such a construct or vector, especially a plant cell. Thus, a host cell, such as a plant cell, comprising nucleic acid according to the present invention is provided. Within the cell, the nucleic acid may be incorporated within the chromosome. There may be more than one heterologous nucleotide sequence per haploid genome. This, for example, enables increased expression of the gene product compared with endogenous levels, as discussed below.

A construct or vector comprising nucleic acid according to the present invention need not include a promoter or other regulatory sequence, particularly if the vector is to be used to introduce the nucleic acid into cells for recombination into the genome. However, in one aspect the present invention provides a nucleic acid construct comprising a Rht or rht coding sequence (which includes homologues from other than Triticum) joined to a regulatory sequence for control of expression, the regulatory sequence being other than that naturally fused to the coding sequence and preferably of or derived from another gene.

Nucleic acid molecules and vectors according to the present invention may be as an isolate, provided isolated from their natural environment, in substantially pure or homogeneous form, or free or substantially free of nucleic acid or genes of the species of interest or origin other than the sequence encoding a polypeptide able to influence growth and/or development, which may include flowering, eg in Triticum Aestivum nucleic acid other than the Rht coding sequence. The term “nucleic acid isolate” encompasses wholly or partially synthetic nucleic acid.

Nucleic acid may of course be double- or single-stranded, cDNA or genomic DNA, RNA, wholly or partially synthetic, as appropriate. Of course, where nucleic acid according to the invention includes RNA, reference to the sequence shown should be construed as encompassing the RNA equivalent, with U substituted for T.

The present invention also encompasses the expression product of any of the nucleic acid sequences disclosed and methods of making the expression product by expression from encoding nucleic acid therefor under suitable conditions in suitable host cells. Those skilled in the art are well able to construct vectors and design protocols for expression and recovery of products of recombinant gene expression. Suitable vectors can be chosen or constructed, containing appropriate regulatory sequences, including promoter sequences, terminator fragments, polyadenylation sequences, enhancer sequences, marker genes and other sequences as appropriate. For further details see, for example, Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual: 2nd edition, Sambrook et al, 1989, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Transformation procedures depend on the host used, but are well known. Many known techniques and protocols for manipulation of nucleic acid, for example in preparation of nucleic acid constructs, mutagenesis, sequencing, introduction of DNA into cells and gene expression, and analysis of proteins, are described in detail in Protocols in Molecular Biology, Second Edition, Ausubel et al. eds., John Wiley & Sons, 1992. Specific procedures and vectors previously used with wide success upon plants are described by Bevan, Nucl. Acids Res. (1984) 12, 8711-8721), and Guerineau and Mullineaux, (1993) Plant transformation and expression vectors. In: Plant Molecular Biology Labfax (Croy RRD ed) Oxford, BIOS Scientific Publishers, pp 121-148. The disclosures of Sambrook et al. and Ausubel et al. and all other documents mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference.

Expression as a fusion with a polyhistidine tag allows purification of Rht or rht to be achieved using Ni-NTA resin available from QIAGEN Inc. (USA) and DIAGEN GmbH (Germany). See Janknecht et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 8972-8976 (1991) and EP-A-0253303 and EP-A-0282042. Ni-NTA resin has high affinity for proteins with consecutive histidines close to the N- or C-terminus of the protein and so may be used to purifiy histidine-tagged Rht or rht proteins from plants, plant parts or extracts or from recombinant organisms such as yeast or bacteria, e.g. E. coli, expressing the protein.

Purified Rht protein, e.g. produced recombinantly by expression from encoding nucleic acid therefor, may be used to raise antibodies employing techniques which are standard in the art. Antibodies and polypeptides comprising antigen-binding fragments of antibodies may be used in identifying homologues from other species as discussed further below.

Methods of producing antibodies include immunising a mammal (eg human, mouse, rat, rabbit, horse, goat, sheep or monkey) with the protein or a fragment thereof. Antibodies may be obtained from immunised animals using any of a variety of techniques known in the art, and might be screened, preferably using binding of antibody to antigen of interest. For instance, Western blotting techniques or immunoprecipitation may be used (Armitage et al, 1992, Nature 357: 80-82). Antibodies may be polyclonal or monoclonal.

As an alternative or supplement to immunising a mammal, antibodies with appropriate binding specificty may be obtained from a recombinantly produced library of expressed immunoglobulin variable domains, eg using lambda bacteriophage or filamentous bacteriophage which display functional immunoglobulin binding domains on their surfaces; for instance see WO92/01047.

Antibodies raised to a Rht, or rht, polypeptide can be used in the identification and/or isolation of homologous polypeptides, and then the encoding genes. Thus, the present invention provides a method of identifying or isolating a polypeptide with Rht function or ability to confer a rht mutant phenotype, comprising screening candidate polypeptides with a polypeptide comprising the antigen-binding domain of an antibody (for example whole antibody or a fragment thereof) which is able to bind an Triticum Aestivum Rht or rht polypeptide, or preferably has binding specificity for such a polypeptide, such as having the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 3b.

Candidate polypeptides for screening may for instance be the products of an expression library created using nucleic acid derived from an plant of interest, or may be the product of a purification process from a natural source.

A polypeptide found to bind the antibody may be isolated and then may be subject to amino acid sequencing. Any suitable technique may be used to sequence the polypeptide either wholly or partially (for instance a fragment of the polypeptide may be sequenced). Amino acid sequence information may be used in obtaining nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide, for instance by designing one or more oligonucleotides (e.g. a degenerate pool of oligonucleotides) for use as probes or primers in hybridisation to candidate nucleic acid, as discussed further below.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of identifying and cloning Rht homologues from plant species other than Triticum which method employs a nucleotide sequence derived from any shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3a, or other figure herein. Sequences derived from these may themselves be used in identifying and in cloning other sequences. The nucleotide sequence information provided herein, or any part thereof, may be used in a data-base search to find homologous sequences, expression products of which can be tested for Rht function. Alternatively, nucleic acid libraries may be screened using techniques well known to those skilled in the art and homologous sequences thereby identified then tested.

For instance, the present invention also provides a method of identifying and/or isolating a Rht or rht homologue gene, comprising probing candidate (or “target”) nucleic acid with nucleic acid which encodes a polypeptide with Rht function or a fragment or mutant, derivative or allele thereof. The candidate nucleic acid (which may be, for instance, cDNA or genomic DNA) may be derived from any cell or organism which may contain or is suspected of containing nucleic acid encoding such a homologue.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, the nucleic acid used for probing of candidate nucleic acid encodes an amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 3b, a sequence complementary to a coding sequence, or a fragment of any of these, most preferably comprising a nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 3a.

Alternatively, as discussed, a probe may be designed using amino acid sequence information obtained by sequencing a polypeptide identified as being able to be bound by an antigen-binding domain of an antibody which is able to bind a Rht or rht polypeptide such as one with the Rht amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 3b.

Preferred conditions for probing are those which are stringent enough for there to be a simple pattern with a small number of hybridizations identified as positive which can be investigated further. It is well known in the art to increase stringency of hybridisation gradually until only a few positive clones remain.

As an alternative to probing, though still employing nucleic acid hybridisation, oligonucleotides designed to amplify DNA sequences from Rht genes may be used in PCR or other methods involving amplification of nucleic acid, using routine procedures. See for instance “PCR protocols; A Guide to Methods and Applications”, Eds. Innis et al, 1990, Academic Press, New York.

Preferred amino acid sequences suitable for use in the design of probes or PCR primers are sequences conserved (completely, substantially or partly) between Rht genes.

On the basis of amino acid sequence information, oligonucleotide probes or primers may be designed, taking into account the degeneracy of the genetic code, and, where appropriate, codon usage of the organism from which the candidate nucleic acid is derived. In particular, primers and probes may be designed using information on conserved sequences apparent from, for example, FIG. 3 and/or FIG. 4, also FIG. 10.

Where a full-length encoding nucleic acid molecule has not been obtained, a smaller molecule representing part of the full molecule, may be used to obtain full-length clones. Inserts may be prepared for example from partial cDNA clones and used to screen cDNA libraries. The full-length clones isolated may be subcloned into vectors such as expression vectors or vectors suitable for transformation into plants. Overlapping clones may be used to provide a full-length sequence.

The present invention also extends to nucleic acid encoding Rht or a homologue obtainable using a nucleotide sequence derived from FIG. 2 or FIG. 3a, and such nucleic acid obtainable using one or more, e.g. a pair, of primers including a sequence shown in Table 1 (SEQ ID NO:21-SEQ ID NO:55).

Also included within the scope of the present invention are nucleic acid molecules which encode amino acid sequences which are homologues of the polypeptide encoded by Rht of Triticum. A homologue may be from a species other than Triticum.

Homology may be at the nucleotide sequence and/or amino acid sequence level. Preferably, the nucleic acid and/or amino acid sequence shares homology with the sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 3a, preferably at least about 50%, or 60%, or 70%, or 80% or 85% homology, most preferably at least 90%, 92%, 95% or 97% homology. Nucleic acid encoding such a polypeptide may preferably share with the Triticum Rht gene the ability to confer a particular phenotype on expression in a plant, preferably a phenotype which is GA responsive (i.e. there is a change in a characteristic of the plant on treatment with GA), such as the ability to inhibit plant growth where the inhibition is antagonised by GA. As noted, Rht expression in a plant may affect one or more other characteristics of the plant. A preferred characteristic that may be shared with the Triticum Rht gene is the ability to complement a Rht null mutant phenotype in a plant such as Triticum, such phenotype being resistance to the dwarfing effect of paclobutrazol. The slender mutant of barley maps to a location in the barley genome equivalent to that of Rht in the wheat genome. Such mutant plants are strongly paclobutrazol resistant. The present inventors believe that the slender barley mutant is a null mutant allele of the orthologous gene to wheat Rht, allowing for complementation of the barley mutant with the wheat gene. Ability to complement a slender mutant in barley may be a characteristic of embodiments of the present invention.

Some preferred embodiments of polypeptides according to the present invention (encoded by nucleic acid embodiments according to the present invention) include the 17 amino acid sequence which is underlined in FIG. 3b, or a contiguous sequence of amino acids residues with at least about 10 residues with similarity or identity with the respective corresponding residue (in terms of position) in 17 amino acids which are underlined in FIG. 3b, more preferably 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17 such residues, and/or the sequence DVAQKLEQLE, or a contiguous sequence of amino acids with at least about 5 residues with similarity or identity with the respective corresponding residue (in terms of position) within DVAQKLEQLE, more preferably 6, 7, 8 or 9 such residues. Further embodiments include the 27 amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRASDMADVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:56), or a contiguous sequence of amino acids residues with at least about 15 residues with similarity or identity with the respective corresponding residue (in terms of position) within this sequence, more preferably 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or 26 such residues.

As is well-understood, homology at the amino acid level is generally in terms of amino acid similarity or identity. Similarity allows for “conservative variation”, i.e. substitution of one hydrophobic residue such as isoleucine, valine, leucine or methionine for another, or the substitution of one polar residue for another, such as arginine for lysine, glutamic for aspartic acid, or glutamine for asparagine. Similarity may be as defined and determined by the TBLASTN program, of Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403-10, which is in standard use in the art, or more preferably GAP (Program Manual for the Wisconsin Package, Version 8, September 1994, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Drive, Madison, USA), which uses the algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch to align sequences. Suitable parameters for GAP include the default parameters, a gap creation penalty=12 and gap extension penalty=4, or gap creation penalty 3.00 and gap extension penalty 0.1. Homology may be over the full-length of the Rht sequence of FIG. 3b, or may more preferably be over a contiguous sequence of 10 amino acids compared with DVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:4), and/or a contiguous sequence of 17 amino acids, compared with the 17 amino acids underlined in FIG. 3b, and/or a contiguous sequence of 27 amino acids compared with DELLAALGYKVRASDMADVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:56), or a longer sequence, e.g. about 30, 40, 50 or more amino acids, compared with the amino acid sequence of FIG. 3b and preferably including the underlined 17 amino acids and/or DVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:4).

At the nucleic acid level, homology may be over the full-length or more preferably by comparison with the 30 nucleotide coding sequence within the sequence of FIG. 3a and encoding the sequence DVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:4) and/or the 51 nucleotide coding sequence within the sequence of FIG. 3a and encoding the 17 amino acid sequence underlined in FIG. 3b, or a longer sequence, e.g. about, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150 or more nucleotides and preferably including the 51 nucleotide of FIG. 3 which encodes the underlined 17 amino acid sequence of FIG. 3b.

As noted, similarity may be as defined and determined by the TBLASTN program, of Altschul et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403-10, which is in standard use in the art, or the standard program BestFit, which is part of the Wisconsin Package, Version 8, September 1994, (Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wis., USA, Wisconsin 53711). BestFit makes an optimal alignment of the best segment of similarity between two sequences. Optimal alignments are found by inserting gaps to maximize the number of matches using the local homology algorithm of Smith and Waterman (Adv. Appl. Math. (1981) 2: 482-489). Other algorithms include GAP, which uses the Needleman and Wunsch algorithm to align two complete sequences that maximizes the number of matches and minimizes the number of gaps. As with any algorithm, generally the default parameters are used, which for GAP are a gap creation penalty=12 and gap extension penalty=4. The algorithm FASTA (which uses the method of Pearson and Lipman (1988) PNAS USA 85: 2444-2448) is a further alternative.

Use of either of the terms “homology” and “homologous” herein does not imply any necessary evolutionary relationship between compared sequences, in keeping for example with standard use of terms such as “homologous recombination” which merely requires that two nucleotide sequences are sufficiently similar to recombine under the appropriate conditions. Further discussion of polypeptides according to the present invention, which may be encoded by nucleic acid according to the present invention, is found below.

The present invention extends to nucleic acid that hybridizes with any one or more of the specific sequences disclosed herein under stringent conditions.

Hybridisation may be be determined by probing with nucleic acid and identifying positive hybridisation under suitably stringent conditions (in accordance with known techniques). For probing, preferred conditions are those which are stringent enough for there to be a simple pattern with a small number of hybridisations identified as positive which can be investigated further. It is well known in the art to increase stringency of hybridisation gradually until only a few positive clones remain.

Binding of a probe to target nucleic acid (e.g. DNA) may be measured using any of a variety of techniques at the disposal of those skilled in the art. For instance, probes may be radioactively, fluorescently or enzymatically labelled. Other methods not employing labelling of probe include examination of restriction fragment length polymorphisms, amplification using PCR, RNAase cleavage and allele specific oligonucleotide probing.

Probing may employ the standard Southern blotting technique. For instance DNA may be extracted from cells and digested with different restriction enzymes. Restriction fragments may then be separated by electrophoresis on an agarose gel, before denaturation and transfer to a nitrocellulose filter. Labelled probe may be hybridised to the DNA fragments on the filter and binding determined. DNA for probing may be prepared from RNA preparations from cells by techniques such as reverse-transcriptase-PRC.

Preliminary experiments may be performed by hybridising under low stringency conditions various probes to Southern blots of DNA digested with restriction enzymes. For probing, preferred conditions are those which are stringent enough for there to be a simple pattern with a small number of hybridisations identified as positive which can be investigated further. It is well known in the art to increase stringency of hybridisation gradually until only a few positive clones remain. Suitable conditions would be achieved when a large number of hybridising fragments were obtained while the background hybridisation was low. Using these conditions nucleic acid libraries, e.g. cDNA libraries representative of expressed sequences, may be searched. Those skilled in the art are well able to employ suitable conditions of the desired stringency for selective hybridisation, taking into account factors such as oligonucleotide length and base composition, temperature and so on.

For instance, screening may initially be carried out under conditions, which comprise a temperature of about 37° C. or more, a formamide concentration of less than about 50%, and a moderate to low salt (e.g. Standard Saline Citrate (‘SSC’)=0.15 M sodium chloride; 0.15 M sodium citrate; pH 7) concentration.

Alternatively, a temperature of about 50° C. or more and a high salt (e.g. ‘SSPE’=0.180 mM sodium chloride; 9 mM disodium hydrogen phosphate; 9 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate; 1 mM sodium EDTA; pH 7.4). Preferably the screening is carried out at about 370° C., a formamide concentration of about 20%, and a salt concentration of about 5×SSC, or a temperature of about 50° C. and a salt concentration of about 2×SSPE. These conditions will allow the identification of sequences which have a substantial degree of homology (similarity, identity) with the probe sequence, without requiring the perfect homology for the identification of a stable hybrid.

Suitable conditions include, e.g. for detection of sequences that are about 80-90% identical, hybridization overnight at 42° C. in 0.25M Na₂HPO₄, pH 7.2, 6.5% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate and a final wash at 55° C. in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS. For detection of sequences that are greater than about 90% identical, suitable conditions include hybridization overnight at 65° C. in 0.25M Na₂HPO₁ pH 7.2, 6.5% SDS, 10% dextran sulphate and a final wash at 60° C. in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS.

Conditions that may be used to differentiate Rht genes and homologues from others may include the following procedure:

First and second DNA molecules are run on an agarose gel, blotted onto a membrane filter (Sambrook et al, 1989). The filters are incubated in prehybridization solution [6×SSC, 5×Denhart's solution, 20 mM Tris-HCl, 0.1% SDS, 2 mM EDTA, 20 μg/ml Salmon sperm DNA] at 65° C. for 5 hours, with constant shaking. Then, the solution is replaced with 30 ml of the same, containing the radioactively-labelled second DNA (prepared according to standard techniques; see Sambrook et al, 1989), and incubated overnight at 65° C., with constant shaking. The following morning the filters are rinsed (one rinse with 3×SSC-0.1% SDS solution); and then washed: one wash at 65° C., for 25 minutes, with 3×SSC-0.1% SDS solution; and a second wash, at the same temperature and for the same time, with 0.1×SSC-0.1% SDS. Then the radioactive pattern on the filter is recorded using standard techniques (see Sambrook et al, 1989).

If need be, stringency can be increased by increasing the temperature of the washes, and/or reducing or even omitting altogether, the SSC in the wash solution.

(SSC is 150 mM NaCl, 15 mM sodium citrate. 50×Denhart's solution is 1% (w/v) ficoll, 1% polyvinylpyrrolidone, 1% (w/v) bovine serum albumin.)

Homoloques to rht mutants are also provided by the present invention. These may be mutants where the wild-type includes the 17 amino acids underlined in FIG. 3b, or a contiguous sequence of 17 amino acids with at least about 10 (more preferably 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17) which have similarity or identity with the corresponding residue in the 17 amino acid sequence underlined in FIG. 3, but the mutant does not. Similarly, such mutants may be where the wild-type includes DVAQKLEQLE or a contiguous sequence of 10 amino acids with at least about 5 (more preferably 6, 7, 8 or 9) which have similarity or identity with the corresponding residue in the sequence DVAQKLEQLE, but the mutant does not. Nucleic acid encoding such mutant polypeptides may on expression in a plant confer a phenotype which is insensitive or unresponsive to treatment of the plant with GA, that is a mutant phenotype which is not overcome or there is no reversion to wild-type phenotype on treatment of the plant with GA (though there may be some response in the plant on provision or depletion of GA).

A further aspect of the present invention provides a nucleic acid isolate having a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide which includes an amino acid sequence which is a mutant, allele, derivative or variant sequence of the Rht amino acid sequence of the species Triticum Aestivum shown in FIG. 3b, or is a homologue of another species or a mutant, allele, derivative or variant thereof, wherein said mutant, allele, derivative, variant or homologue differs from the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 3b by way of insertion, deletion, addition and/or substitution of one or more amino acids, as obtainable by producing transgenic plants by transforming plants which have a Rht null mutant phenotype, which phenotype is resistance to the dwarfing effect of paclobutrazol, with test nucleic acid, causing or allowing expression from test nucleic acid within the transgenic plants, screening the transgenic plants for those exhibiting complementation of the Rht null mutant phenotype to identify test nucleic acid able to complement the Rht null mutant, deleting from nucleic acid so identified as being able to complement the Rht null mutant a nucleotide sequence encoding the 17 amino acid sequence underlined in FIG. 3b or a contiguous 17 amino acid sequence in which at least 10 residues have similarity or identity with the respective amino acid in the corresponding position in the 17 amino acid sequence underlined in FIG. 3b, more preferably 11, 12, 13, 5 14, 15, 16 or 17, and/or a nucleotide sequence encoding DVAQKLEQLE or a contiguous sequence of 10 amino aicds with at least about 5 (more preferably 6, 7, 8 or 9) which have similarity or identity with the corresponding residue in the sequence DVAQKLEQLE.

A cell containing nucleic acid of the present invention represents a further aspect of the invention, particularly a plant cell, or a bacterial cell.

The cell may comprise the nucleic acid encoding the protein by virtue of introduction into the cell or an ancestor thereof of the nucleic acid, e.g. by transformation using any suitable technique available to those skilled in the art.

Also according to the invention there is provided a plant cell having incorporated into its genome nucleic acid as disclosed.

Where a complete naturally occurring sequence is employed the plant cell may be of a plant other than the natural host of the sequence.

The present invention also provides a plant comprising such a plant cell.

Also according to the invention there is provided a plant cell having incorporated into its genome a sequence of nucleotides as provided by the present invention, under operative control of a regulatory sequence for control of expression. A further aspect of the present invention provides a method of making such a plant cell involving introduction of a vector comprising the sequence of nucleotides into a plant cell and causing or allowing recombination between the vector and the plant cell genome to introduce the sequence of nucleotides into the genome.

A plant according to the present invention may be one which does not breed true in one or more properties. Plant varieties may be excluded, particularly registrable plant varieties according to Plant Breeders' Rights. It is noted that a plant need not be considered a “plant variety” simply because it contains stably within its genome a transgene, introduced into a cell of the plant or an ancestor thereof.

In addition to a plant, the present invention provides any clone of such a plant, seed, selfed or hybrid progeny and descendants, and any part of any of these, such as cuttings, seed. The invention provides any plant propagule, that is any part which may be used in reproduction or propagation, sexual or asexual, including cuttings, seed and so on. Also encompassed by the invention is a plant which is a sexually or asexually propagated off-spring, clone or descendant of such a plant, or any part or propagule of said plant, off-spring, clone or descendant.

The invention further provides a method of influencing the characteristics of a plant comprising expression of a heterologous Rht or rht gene sequence (or mutant, allele, derivative or homologue thereof, as discussed) within cells of the plant. The term “heterologous” indicates that the gene/sequence of nucleotides in question have been introduced into said cells of the plant, or an ancestor thereof, using genetic engineering, that is to say by human intervention, which may comprise transformation. The gene may be on an extra-genomic vector or incorporated, preferably stably, into the genome. The heterologous gene may replace an endogenous equivalent gene, ie one which normally performs the same or a similar function in control of growth and/or development, or the inserted sequence may be additional to an endogenous gene. An advantage of introduction of a heterologous gene is the ability to place expression of the gene under the control of a promoter of choice, in order to be able to influence gene expression, and therefore growth and/or development of the plant according to preference. Furthermore, mutants and derivatives of the wild-type gene may be used in place of the endogenous gene. The inserted gene may be foreign or exogenous to the host cell, e.g. of another plant species.

The principal characteristic which may be altered using the present invention is growth.

According to the model of the Rht gene as a growth repressor, under-expression of the gene may be used to promote growth, at least in plants which have only one endogenous gene conferring Rht function (not for example Arabidopsis which has endogenous homologues which would compensate). This may involve use of anti-sense or sense regulation. Taller plants may be made by knocking out Rht or the relevant homologous gene in the plant of interest. Plants may be made which are resistant to compounds which inhibit GA biosynthesis, such as paclobutrazol, for instance to allow use of a GA biosynthesis inhibitor to keep weeds dwarf but let crop plants grow tall.

Over-expression of a Rht gene may lead to a dwarf plant which is correctable by treatment with GA, as predicted by the Rht repression model.

Since rht mutant genes are dominant on phenotype, they may be used to make GA-insensitive dwarf plants. This may be applied for example to any transformable crop-plant, tree or fruit-tree species. It may provide higher yield/reduced lodging like Rht wheat. In rice this may provide GA-insensitive rice resistant to the Bakane disease, which is a problem in Japan and elsewhere. Dwarf ornamentals may be of value for the horticulture and cut-flower markets. Sequence manipulation may provide for varying degrees of severity of dwarfing, GA-insensitive phenotype, allowing tailoring of the degree of severity to the needs of each crop-plant or the wishes of the manipulator. Over-expression of rht-mutant sequences is potentially the most useful.

A second characteristic that may be altered is plant development, for instance flowering. In some plants, and in certain environmental conditions, a GA signal is required for floral induction. For example, GA-deficient mutant Arabidopsis plants grown under short day conditions will not flower unless treated with GA: these plants do flower normally when grown under long day conditions. Arabidopsis gai mutant plants show delayed flowering under short day conditions: severe mutants may not flower at all. Thus, for instance by Rht or rht gene expression or over-expression, plants may be produced which remain vegetative until given GA treatment to induce flowering. This may be useful in horticultural contexts or for spinach, lettuce and other crops where suppression of bolting is desirable.

The nucleic acid according to the invention may be placed under the control of an externally inducible gene promoter to place the Rht or rht coding sequence under the control of the user.

The term “inducible” as applied to a promoter is well understood by those skilled in the art. In essence, expression under the control of an inducible promoter is “switched on” or increased in response to an applied stimulus. The nature of the stimulus varies between promoters. Some inducible promoters cause little or undetectable levels of expression (or no expression) in the absence of the appropriate stimulus. Other inducible promoters cause detectable constitutive expression in the absence of the stimulus. Whatever the level of expression is in the absence of the stimulus, expression from any inducible promoter is increased in the presence of the correct stimulus. The preferable situation is where the level of expression increases upon application of the relevant stimulus by an amount effective to alter a phenotypic characteristic. Thus an inducible (or “switchable”) promoter may be used which causes a basic level of expression in the absence of the stimulus which level is too low to bring about a desired phenotype (and may in fact be zero). Upon application of the stimulus, expression is increased (or switched on) to a level which brings about the desired phenotype.

Suitable promoters include the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S (CaMV 35S) gene promoter that is expressed at a high level in virtually all plant tissues (Benfey et al, 1990a and 1990b); the maize glutathione-S-transferase isoform II (GST-II-27) gene promoter which is activated in response to application of exogenous safener (WO93/01294, ICI Ltd); the cauliflower meri 5 promoter that is expressed in the vegetative apical meristem as well as several well localised positions in the plant body, eg inner phloem, flower primordia, branching points in root and shoot (Medford, 1992; Medford et al, 1991) and the Arabidopsis thaliana LEAFY promoter that is expressed very early in flower development (Weigel et al, 1992).

The GST-II-27 gene promoter has been shown to be induced by certain chemical compounds which can be applied to growing plants. The promoter is functional in both monocotyledons and dicotyledons. It can therefore be used to control gene expression in a variety of genetically modified plants, including field crops such as canola, sunflower, tobacco, sugarbeet, cotton; cereals such as wheat, barley, rice, maize, sorghum; fruit such as tomatoes, mangoes, peaches, apples, pears, strawberries, bananas, and melons; and vegetables such as carrot, lettuce, cabbage and onion. The GST-II-27 promoter is also suitable for use in a variety of tissues, including roots, leaves, stems and reproductive tissues.

Accordingly, the present invention provides in a further aspect a gene construct comprising an inducible promoter operatively linked to a nucleotide sequence provided by the present invention, such as the Rht gene of Triticum a homologue from another plant species or any mutant, derivative or allele thereof. This enables control of expression of the gene. The invention also provides plants transformed with said gene construct and methods comprising introduction of such a construct into a plant cell and/or induction of expression of a construct within a plant cell, by application of a suitable stimulus, an effective exogenous inducer. The promoter may be the GST-II-27 gene promoter or any other inducible plant promoter.

When introducing a chosen gene construct into a cell, certain considerations must be taken into account, well known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acid to be inserted should be assembled within a construct which contains effective regulatory elements which will drive transcription. There must be available a method of transporting the construct into the cell. Once the construct is within the cell membrane, integration into the endogenous chromosomal material either will or will not occur. Finally, as far as plants are concerned the target cell type must be such that cells can be regenerated into whole plants.

Selectable genetic markers may be used consisting of chimaeric genes that confer selectable phenotypes such as resistance to antibiotics such as kanamycin, hygromycin, phosphinotricin, chlorsulfuron, methotrexate, gentamycin, spectinomycin, imidazolinones and glyphosate.

An aspect of the present invention is the use of nucleic acid according to the invention in the production of a transgenic plant.

A further aspect provides a method including introducing the nucleic acid into a plant cell and causing or allowing incorporation of the nucleic acid into the genome of the cell.

Any appropriate method of plant transformation may be used to generate plant cells comprising nucleic acid in accordance with the present invention. Following transformation, plants may be regenerated from transformed plant cells and tissue.

Successfully transformed cells and/or plants, i.e. with the construct incorporated into their genome, may be selected following introduction of the nucleic acid into plant cells, optionally followed by regeneration into a plant, e.g. using one or more marker genes such as antibiotic resistance (see above).

Plants transformed with the DNA segment containing the sequence may be produced by standard techniques which are already known for the genetic manipulation of plants. DNA can be transformed into plant cells using any suitable technology, such as a disarmed Ti-plasmid vector carried by Agrobacterium exploiting its natural gene transfer ability (EP-A-270355, EP-A-0116718, NAR 12(22) 8711-87215 1984), particle or microprojectile bombardment (U.S. Pat. No. 5100792, EP-A-444882, EP-A-434616) microinjection (WO 92/09696, WO 94/00583, EP 331083, EP 175966, Green et al. (1987) Plant Tissue and Cell Culture, Academic Press), electroporation (EP 290395, WO 8706614 Gelvin Debeyser—see attached) other forms of direct DNA uptake (DE 4005152, WO 9012096, U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,611), liposome mediated DNA uptake (e.g. Freeman et al. Plant Cell Physiol. 29: 1353 (1984)), or the vortexing method (e.g. Kindle, PNAS U.S.A. 87: 1228 (1990d). Physical methods for the transformation of plant cells are reviewed in Oard, 1991, Biotech. Adv. 9: 1-11.

Agrobacterium transformation is widely used by those skilled in the art to transform dicotyledonous species. Recently, there has been substantial progress towards the routine production of stable, fertile transgenic plants in almost all economically relevant monocot plants (Toriyama, et al. (1988) Bio/Technology 6, 1072-1074; Zhang, et al. (1988) Plant Cell Rep. 7, 379-384; Zhang, et al. (1988) Theor Appl Genet 76, 835-840; Shimamoto, et al. (1989) Nature 338, 274-276; Datta, et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8, 736-740; Christou, et al. (1991) Bio/Technology 9, 957-962; Peng, et al. (1991) International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines 563-574; Cao, et al. (1992) Plant Cell Rep. 11, 585-591; Li, et al. (1993) Plant Cell Rep. 12, 250-255; Rathore, et al. (1993) Plant Molecular Biology 21, 871-884; Fromm, et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8, 833-839; Gordon-Kamm, et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2, 603-618; D'Halluin, et al. (1992) Plant Cell 4, 1495-1505; Walters, et al. (1992) Plant Molecular Biology 18, 189-200; Koziel, et al. (1993) Biotechnology 11, 194-200; Vasil, I. K. (1994) Plant Molecular Biology 25, 925-937; Weeks, et al. (1993) Plant Physiology 102, 1077-1084; Somers, et al. (1992) Bio/Technology 10, 1589-1594; WO92/14828). In particular, Agrobacterium mediated transformation is now emerging also as an highly efficient transformation method in monocots (Hiei et al. (1994) The Plant Journal 6, 271-282).

The generation of fertile transgenic plants has been achieved in the cereals rice, maize, wheat, oat, and barley (reviewed in Shimamoto, K. (1994) Current Opinion in Biotechnology 5, 158-162.; Vasil, et al. (1992) Bio/Technology 10, 667-674; Vain et al., 1995, Biotechnology Advances 13 (4): 653-671; Vasil, 1996, Nature Biotechnology 14 page 702).

Microprojectile bombardment, electroporation and direct DNA uptake are preferred where Agrobacterium is inefficient or ineffective. Alternatively, a combination of different techniques may be employed to enhance the efficiency of the transformation process, eg bombardment with Agrobacterium coated microparticles (EP-A-486234) or microprojectile bombardment to induce wounding followed by co-cultivation with Agrobacterium (EP-A-486233).

Brassica napus transformation is described in Moloney et al. (1989) Plant Cell Reports 8: 238-242.

Following transformation, a plant may be regenerated, e.g. from single cells, callus tissue or leaf discs, as is standard in the art. Almost any plant can be entirely regenerated from cells, tissues and organs of the plant. Available techniques are reviewd in Vasil et al., Cell Culture and Somatic Cel Genetics of Plants, Vol I, II and III, Laboratory Procedures and Their Applications, Academic Press, 1984, and Weissbach and Weissbach, Methods for Plant Molecular Biology, Academic Press, 1989.

The particular choice of a transformation technology will be determined by its efficiency to transform certain plant species as well as the experience and preference of the person practising the invention with a particular methodology of choice. It will be apparent to the skilled person that the particular choice of a transformation system to introduce nucleic acid into plant cells is not essential to or a limitation of the invention, nor is the choice of technique for plant regeneration.

In the present invention, over-expression may be achieved by introduction of the nucleotide sequence in a sense orientation. Thus, the present invention provides a method of influencing a characteristic of a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing expression of nucleic acid according to the invention from that nucleic acid within cells of the plant.

Under-expression of the gene product polypeptide may be achieved using anti-sense technology or “sense regulation”. The use of anti-sense genes or partial gene sequences to down-regulate gene expression is now well-established. DNA is placed under the control of a promoter such that transcription of the “anti-sense” strand of the DNA yields RNA which is complementary to normal mRNA transcribed from the “sense” strand of the target gene. For double-stranded DNA this is achieved by placing a coding sequence or a fragment thereof in a “reverse orientation” under the control of a promoter. The complementary anti-sense RNA sequence is thought then to bind with mRNA to form a duplex, inhibiting translation of the endogenous mRNA from the target gene into protein. Whether or not this is the actual mode of action is still uncertain. However, it is established fact that the technique works. See, for example, Rothstein et al, 1987; Smith et al, (1988) Nature 334, 724-726; Zhang et al, (1992) The Plant Cell 4, 1575-1588, English et al., (1996) The Plant Cell 8, 179-188. Antisense technology is also reviewed in reviewed in Bourque, (1995), Plant Science 105, 125-149, and Flavell, (1994) PNAS USA 91, 3490-3496.

The complete sequence corresponding to the coding sequence in reverse orientation need not be used. For example fragments of sufficient length may be used. It is a routine matter for the person skilled in the art to screen fragments of various sizes and from various parts of the coding sequence to optimise the level of anti-sense inhibition. It may be advantageous to include the initiating methionine ATG codon, and perhaps one or more nucleotides upstream of the initiating codon. A further possibility is to target a regulatory sequence of a gene, e.g. a sequence that is characteristic of one or more genes in one or more pathogens against which resistance is desired. A suitable fragment may have at least about 14-23 nucleotides, e.g. about 15, 16 or 17, or more, at least about 25, at least about 30, at least about 40, at least about 50, or more. Other fragments may be at least about 300 nucleotides, at least about 400 nucleotides, at least about 500 nucleotides, at least about 600 nucleotides, at least about 700 nucleotides or more. Such fragments in the sense orientation may be used in co-suppression (see below).

Total complementarity of sequence is not essential, though may be preferred. One or more nucleotides may differ in the anti-sense construct from the target gene. It may be preferred for there to be sufficient homology for the respective anti-sense and sense RNA molecules to hybridise, particularly under the conditions existing in a plant cell.

Thus, the present invention also provides a method of influencing a characteristic of a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing anti-sense transcription from nucleic acid according to the invention within cells of the plant.

When additional copies of the target gene are inserted in sense, that is the same, orientation as the target gene, a range of phenotypes is produced which includes individuals where over-expression occurs and some where under-expression of protein from the target gene occurs. When the inserted gene is only part of the endogenous gene the number of under-expressing individuals in the transgenic population increases. The mechanism by which sense regulation occurs, particularly down-regulation, is not well-understood. However, this technique is also well-reported in scientific and patent literature and is used routinely for gene control. See, for example, See, for example, van der Krol et al., (1990) The Plant Cell 2, 291-299; Napoli et al., (1990) The Plant Cell 2, 279-289; Zhang et al., (1992) The Plant Cell 4, 1575-1588, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020.

Thus, the present invention also provides a method of influencing a characteristic of a plant, the method comprising causing or allowing expression from nucleic acid according to the invention within cells of the plant. This may be used to influence growth.

Aspects and embodiments of the present invention will now be illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All documents mentioned in this text are incorporated herein by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1: Alignment of N-terminus predicted GAI amino acid sequence (Gai) (SEQ ID NO:78) with rice EST D39460 (0830) (SEQ ID NO:79), with a region of homology outlined in black.

FIGS. 2a-2 c. DNA sequences from C15-1, 14a1 and 5a1:

FIG. 2a shows a consensus DNA sequence cDNA C15-1 (obtained via single-pass sequencing) (SEQ ID NO:57).

FIG. 2b shows data from original DNA sequencing runs from 14a1 (single-pass) (SEQ ID NO:58-SEQ ID NO:70).

FIG. 2c shows data from original DNA sequencing runs from 5a1 (single-pass) (SEQ ID NO:71-SEQ ID NO:77).

FIGS. 3a and 3 b. Rht sequences:

FIG. 3a shows a composite DNA sequence of wheat Rht gene derived from data in FIG. 2, including coding sequence (SEQ ID NO:3).

FIG. 3b shows an alignment of the entire predicted Rht protein sequence encoded by the coding sequence of FIG. 2 (rht) with the entire predicted GAI protein sequence of Arabidopsis (Gai) (SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2). Regions of sequence identity are highlighted in black.

FIGS. 4a and 4 b. D39460 sequence:

FIG. 4a shows DNA sequence (single-pass) of rice cDNA D39460 (SEQ ID NO:19). This cDNA is an incomplete, partial clone, missing the 3′ end of the mRNA from which it is derived.

FIG. 4b shows alignment of the entire predicted Rht protein sequence (wheat—encoded by the coding sequence of FIG. 2) with that of GAI (Gai) and rice protein sequence predicted from DNA sequence in FIG. 4a (Rice) (SEQ ID NO:20). Regions of amino acid identity are highlighted in black; some conservative substitutions are shaded.

FIG. 5: The basic carbon-ring structure kof gibberellins.

FIGS. 6a and 6 b. Rice EST sequence:

FIG. 6a shows the nucleotide sequence of rice EST D39460, as determined by the present inventors (SEQ ID NO:12).

FIG. 6b shows the predicted amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:5) encoded by the rice EST sequence of FIG. 6a.

FIGS. 7a and 7 b. Wheat C15-1 cDNA:

FIG. 7a shows the nucleotide sequence of the wheat C15-1 cDNA (SEQ ID NO:13).

FIG. 7b shows the predicted amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:6) of the wheat C15-1 cDNA of FIG. 7a.

FIGS. 8a and 8 b. Wheat 5a1 genomic clone:

FIGS. 9a and 9 b. Maize 1a1 genomic clone:

FIG. 9a shows the nucleotide sequence of the 1a1 maize genomic clone, i.e. D8 (SEQ ID NO:15).

FIG. 9b shows the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) of the maize 1a1 genomic clone of FIG. 9a.

FIGS. 10a and 10 b shows a PRETTYBOX alignment of amino acid sequences of the maize D8 polypeptide with, the wheat Rht polypeptide the rice EST sequence determined by the present inventors and the Arabidopsis thaliana Gai polypeptide.

FIGS. 11a-11 d. Sequences of maize D8 alleles:

FIG. 11a shows a partial nucleotide sequence of the maize D8-1allele (SEQ ID NO: 16).

FIG. 11b shows a partial amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:9) of the maize D8-1 allele.

FIG. 11c shows a partial nucleotide sequence of the maize D8-2023 allele (SEQ ID NO:17).

FIG. 11d shows a partial amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:10) of the maize D8-2023 allele.

FIGS. 12a and 12 b. Wheat rht-10 allele:

FIG. 12a shows a partial nucleotide sequence of the wheat rht-10 allele (SEQ ID NO:18).

FIG. 12b shows a partial amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:11) of the wheat rht-10 allele.

Previously, we cloned the GAI gene of Arabidopsis (PCT/GB97/00390—WO97/29123 published Aug. 14, 1997). Comparison of the DNA sequences of the wild-type (GAI) and mutant (gai) alleles showed that gai encodes a mutant predicted protein product (gai) which lacks a segment of 17 amino acids from close to the N-terminus of the protein. Screening of the DNA sequence databases with the GAI sequence revealed the existence of a rice EST (D39460) which contains a region of sequence very closely related to that of the segment that is deleted from GAI in the gai protein. A comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences from the region DELLA (SEQ ID NO:107) to EQLE (SEQ ID NO:108) are identical in both sequences. The two differences (V/A; E/D) are conservative substitutions, in which one amino acid residue is replaced by another having very similar chemical properties. In addition, the region of identity extends beyond the boundary of the deletion region in the gai protein. The sequence DVAQKLEQLE is not affected by the deletion in gai, and yet is perfectly conserved between the GAI and D39460 sequences (FIG. 1).

An approximately 700 bp SalI-NotI subfragment of D39460 was used in low-stringency hybridization experiments to isolate hybridizing clones from wheat cDNA and genomic libraries (made from DNA from the variety Chinese Spring) and from a maize genomic library (made from line B73N). Several wheat clones were isolated, including C15-1 and C15-10 (cDNAs), and 5a1 and 14a1 (genomic clones). Clone C15-1 has been used in gene mapping experiments. Nullisomic-tetrasomic analysis showed that clone C15-1 hybridizes to genomic DNA fragments derived from wheat chromosomes 4A, 4B and 4D. This is consistent with clone C15-1 containing Rht sequence, since the Rht loci map to the group 4 chromosomes. Furthermore, recombinant analysis using a population segregating for the Rht-D1b (formerly Rht2) allele identified a hybridizing fragment that displayed perfect co-segregation with the mutant allele. This placed the genomic location of the gene encoding the mRNA sequence in cDNA C15-l within a 2 cM segment (that was already known to contain Rht) of the group 4 chromosomes, and provides strong evidence that the cDNA and genomic clones do indeed contain the Rht gene. The maize D8 DNA sequence disclosed herein is from subcloned contiguous 1.8 kb and 3.0 kb SalI fragments (cloned into Bluescript™ SK⁺) from 1a1. The wheat Rht sequence disclosed herein is from a 5.7 kb DraI subfragment cloned into Bluescript™ SK⁺) from clone 5a1.

FIG. 2a gives the complete (single-pass) DNA sequence of cDNA C15-1. We have also obtained DNA sequence for C15-10; it is identical with that of C15-1, and is therefore not shown. FIGS. 2b and 2 c show original data from individual sequencing runs from clones 14a1 and 5a1. The sequences shown in FIG. 2 can be overlapped to make a composite DNA sequence, shown in FIG. 3a. This sequence displays strong homology with that of Arabidopsis GAI, as revealed by a comparison of the amino acid sequence of a predicted translational product of the wheat sequence (Rht) with that of GAI (GAI), shown in FIG. 3b. In particular, the predicted amino acid sequence of the presumptive Rht reveals a region of near-identity with GAI over the region that is missing in gai (FIG. 4). FIG. 4 reveals that the homology that extends beyond the gai deletion region in the rice EST is also conserved in Rht (DVAQKLEQLE (SEQ ID NO:4)), thus indicating that this region, in addition to that found in the gai deletion, is involved in GA signal-transduction. This region is not found in SCR, another protein that is related in sequence to GAI but which is not involved in GA signalling. The primers used in the above sequencing experiments are shown in Table 1.

Further confirmation that these sequences are indeed the wheat Rht and maize D8 loci has been obtained by analysis of gene sequences from various mutant alleles, as follows.

The present inventors obtained and sequenced the clone identified on the database as the rice EST D39460, and the nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences resulting from that work are shown in FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b respectively.

Previous work on the GAI gene of Arabidopsis showed that the GAI protein consists of two sections, an N-terminal half displaying no homology with any protein of known function, and a C-terminal half displaying extensive homology with the Arabidopsis SCR candidate transcription factor (Peng et al. (1997) Genes and Development 11: 3194-3205; PCT/GB97/00390). As described above, deletion of a portion of the N-terminal half of the protein causes the reduced GA-responses characteristic of the gai mutant allele (Peng et al., 1997; PCT/GB97/00390). The inventors therefore predicted that if D8 and Rht are respectively maize and wheat functional homologues (orthologues) of Arabidopsis GAI, then dominant mutant alleles of D8 and Rht should also contain mutations affecting the N-terminal sections of the proteins that they encode.

Previous reports describe a number of dominant mutant alleles at D8 and at Rht, in particular D8-1, D8-2023 and Rht-D1c (formerly Rht10) (Börner et al. (1996) Euphytica 89: 69-75; Harberd and Freeling (1989) Genetics 121: 827-838; Winkler and Freeling (1994) Planta 193: 341-348). The present inventors therefore cloned the candidate D8/Rht genes from these mutants, and examined by DNA sequencing the portion of the gene that encodes the N-terminal half of the protein.

A fragment of the candidate D8 or Rht genes that encodes a portion of the N-terminal half of the D8/Rht protein was amplified via PCR from genomic DNA of plants containing D8-1, D8-2023 and Rht-D1c, using the following primers for amplification: for D8-1, primers ZM-15 and ZM-24; for D8-2023, primers ZM-9 and ZM-11; for Rht-D1c, nested PCR was performed using Rht-15 and Rht-26 followed by Rht-16 and Rha-2. PCR reactions were performed using a Perkin Elmer geneAmp XL PCR kit, using the following conditions: reactions were incubated at 94° C. for 1 min, then subjected to 13 cycles of 94° C., 15 sec−x° C. for 15 sec−69° C. 5 min (where x is reduced by 1° C. per cycle starting at 64° C. and finishing at 52° C.), then 25 cycles of 94° C., 15 sec−53° C., 15 sec−65° C., 5 min, then 10 min at 70° C. These fragments were then cloned into the pGEM^(R)-T Easy vector (Promega, see Technical Manual), and their DNA sequences were determined.

Mutations were found in the candidate D8 and Rht genes in each of the above mutants. The D8-1 mutation is an in-frame deletion which removes amino acids VAQK (SEQ ID NO:101) (55-59) and adds a G (see sequence in FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b). This deletion overlaps with the conserved DVAQKLEQLE homology block described above. D8-2023 is another in-frame deletion mutation that removes amino acids LATDTVHYNPSD (SEQ ID NO:102) (87-98) from the N-terminus of the D8 protein (see FIG. 11c and FIG. 11d). This deletion does not overlap with the deletion in gai or D8-1, but covers another region that is highly conserved between GAI, D8 and Rht (see FIG. 10). Finally, Rht-D1c contains another small in-frame deletion that removes amino acids LNAPPPPLPPAPQ (SEQ ID NO:103) (109-121) in the N-terminal region of the mutant Rht protein that it encodes (see FIG. 12a and FIG. 12b) (LN-P is conserved between GAI, D8 and Rht, see FIG. 10).

Thus all of the above described mutant alleles are dominant, and confer dwarfism associated with reduced GA-response. All three of these alleles contain deletion mutations which remove a portion of the N-terminal half of the protein that they encode. These observations demonstrate that the D8 and Rht genes of maize and wheat have been cloned.

TABLE 1 Primers used in the sequencing of Rht Sequence Name Sense 15-L TTTGCGCCAATTATTGGCCAGAGATAGA- Forward TAGAGAG 16-L GTGGCGGCATGGGTTCGTCCGAGGACAA- Forward GATGATG 23-L CATGGAGGCGGTGGAGAACTGGGAACGA- Reverse AGAAGGG 26-L CCCGGCCAGGCGCCATGCCGAGGTGGCA- Reverse ATCAGGG 3-L GGTATCTGCTTCACCAGCGCCTCCGCGG- Reverse CGGAGAG 9-L ATCGGCCGCAGCGCGTAGATGCTGCTGG- Reverse AGGAGTC RHA-1 CTGGTGAAGCAGATACCCTTGC Forward RHA-2 CTGGTTGGCGGTGAAGTGCG Reverse RHA-3 GCAAGGGTATCTGCTTCACCAGC Reverse RHA-5 CGCACTTCACCGCCAACCAG Forward RHA-6 TTGTGATTTGCCTCCTGTTTCC Forward RHA-7 CCGTGCGCCCCCGTGCGGCCCAG Forward RHA-8 AGGCTGCCTGACGCTGGGGTTGC Forward RHT-9 GATCGGCCGCAGCGCGTAGATGC Reverse RHT-10 GATCCCGCACGGAGTCGGCGGACAG Reverse RHT-12 TCCGACAGCATGCTCTCGACCCAAG Reverse RHT-13 TTCCGTCCGTCTGGICGTGAAGAGG Forward RHT-14 AAATCCCGAACCCGCCCCCAGAAC Forward RHT-15 GCGCCAATTATTGGCCAGAGATAG Forward RHT-16 GGCATGGGTTCGTCCGAGGACAAG Forward RHT-18 TTGTCCTCGGACGAACCCATGCCG Reverse RHT-19 GATCCAAATCCCGAACCCGCCC Forward RHT-20 GTAGATGCTGCTGGAGGAGTCG Reverse RHT-21 GTCGTCCATCCACCTCTTCACG Reverse RHT-22 GCCAGAGATAGATAGAGAGGCG Forward RHT-23 TAGGGCTTAGGAGTTTTACGGG Reverse RHT-24 CGGAGTCGGCGGACAGGTCGGC Reverse RHT-25 CGGAGAGGTTCTCCTGCTGCACGGC Reverse RHT-26 TGTGCAACCCCAGCGTCAGGCAG Reverse RHT-27 GCGGCCTCGTCGCCGCCACGCTC Forward RHT-28 TGGCGGCGACGAGGCCGCGGTAC Reverse RHT-29 AAGAATAAGGAAGAGATGGAGATGGTTG Reverse RHT-30 TCTGCAACGTGGTGGCCTGCGAG Forward RHT-31 CCCCTCGCAGGCCACCACGTTGC Reverse RHT-32 TTGGGTCGAGAGCATGCTGTCGGAG Forward

TABLE 2 Primers used in the sequence of D-8 clones (SEQ ID NO:80-SEQ ID NO:100) Name Sequence Sense ZM-8 GGCGATGACACGGATGACG Forward ZM-9 CTTGCGCATGGCACCGCCCTGCGACGAAG Reverse ZM-10 CCAAGCTAATAATGGCTTGCGCGCCTCG Reverse ZM-11 TATCCAGAACCGAAACCGAG Forward ZM-12 CGGCGTCTTGGTACTCGCGCTTCATG Reverse ZM-13 TGGGCTCCCGCGCCGAGTCCGTGGAC Reverse ZM-14 CTCCAAGCCTCTTGCGCTGACCGAGATCGAG Forward ZM-15 TCCACAGGCTCACCAGTCACCAACATCAATC Forward ZM-16 ACGGTACTGGAAGTCCACGCGGATGGTGTG Reverse ZM-17 CGCACACCATCCGCGTGGACTTCCAGTAC Forward ZM-18 CTCGGCCGGCAGATCTGCAACGTGGTG Forward ZM-19 TTGTGACGGTGGACGATGTGGACGCG- Reverse AGCCTTG ZM-20 GGACGCTGCGACAAACCGTCCATCGATCCAAC Forward ZM-21 TCCGAAATCATGAAGCGCGAGTACCAAGAC Forward ZM-22 TCGGGTACAAGGTGCGTTCGTCGGATATG Forward ZM-23 ATGAAGCGCGAGTACCAAGAC Forward ZM-24 GTGTGCCTTGATGCGGTCCAGAAG Reverse ZM-25 AACCACCCCTCCCTGATCACGGAG Reverse ZM-27 CACTAGGAGCTCCGTGGTCGAAGCTG Forward ZM-28 GCTGCGGCAAGAAGCCGGTGCAGCTC Reverse ZM-29 AGTACACTTCCGACATGACTTG Reverse

108 1 630 PRT Triticum aestivum SITE (91) Xaa is unknown or other amino acid 1 Ile Glu Arg Arg Gly Ser Ser Arg Ile Met Lys Arg Glu Tyr Gln Asp 1 5 10 15 Ala Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly Met Gly Ser Glu Asp Lys 20 25 30 Met Met Val Ser Ala Ala Ala Gly Glu Gly Glu Glu Val Asp Glu Leu 35 40 45 Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ala Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val 50 55 60 Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Lys Leu Glu Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val 65 70 75 80 Gly Ala Gly Ala Ala Pro Asp Arg Gln Val Xaa His Pro Xaa Ala Ala 85 90 95 Asp Thr Val Xaa Tyr Asn Pro Thr Asp Xaa Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser 100 105 110 Met Leu Ser Glu Leu Xaa Glu Pro Xaa Pro Pro Leu Pro Pro Ala Pro 115 120 125 Gln Leu Asn Ala Ser Thr Val Thr Gly Ser Gly Gly Tyr Xaa Asp Leu 130 135 140 Pro Pro Ser Val Asp Ser Ser Ser Ser Ile Tyr Ala Leu Arg Pro Ile 145 150 155 160 Pro Ser Pro Ala Gly Ala Thr Ala Pro Ala Asp Leu Ser Ala Asp Ser 165 170 175 Val Arg Asp Pro Lys Arg Met Arg Thr Gly Gly Ser Ser Thr Ser Ser 180 185 190 Ser Ser Ser Ser Xaa Ser Ser Leu Gly Gly Gly Ala Arg Ser Ser Val 195 200 205 Val Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Val Ala Ala Ala Ala Asn Ala Thr Pro Ala 210 215 220 Leu Pro Val Val Val Val Asp Thr Gln Glu Ala Gly Ile Arg Leu Val 225 230 235 240 His Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Glu Ala Val Gln Gln Glu Asn Leu Ser 245 250 255 Ala Ala Glu Ala Leu Val Lys Gln Ile Pro Leu Leu Ala Ala Ser Gln 260 265 270 Gly Gly Ala Met Arg Lys Val Ala Ala Tyr Phe Gly Glu Ala Leu Ala 275 280 285 Arg Arg Val Phe Arg Phe Arg Pro Gln Pro Asp Ser Ser Leu Leu Asp 290 295 300 Ala Ala Phe Ala Asp Leu Leu His Ala His Phe Tyr Glu Ser Cys Pro 305 310 315 320 Tyr Leu Lys Phe Ala His Phe Thr Ala Asn Gln Ala Ile Leu Glu Ala 325 330 335 Phe Ala Gly Cys Arg Arg Val His Val Val Asp Phe Gly Ile Lys Gln 340 345 350 Gly Met Gln Trp Pro Ala Leu Leu Gln Ala Leu Ala Leu Arg Pro Gly 355 360 365 Gly Pro Pro Ser Phe Arg Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Pro Pro Gln Pro Asp 370 375 380 Glu Thr Asp Ala Leu Gln Gln Val Gly Trp Lys Leu Ala Gln Phe Ala 385 390 395 400 His Thr Ile Arg Val Asp Phe Gln Tyr Arg Gly Leu Val Ala Ala Thr 405 410 415 Leu Ala Asp Leu Glu Pro Phe Met Leu Gln Pro Glu Gly Glu Glu Asp 420 425 430 Pro Asn Glu Xaa Pro Xaa Val Ile Ala Val Asn Ser Val Phe Glu Met 435 440 445 His Arg Leu Leu Ala Gln Pro Gly Ala Leu Glu Lys Val Leu Gly His 450 455 460 Arg Ala Pro Pro Cys Gly Pro Glu Phe Xaa Thr Val Val Glu Thr Gln 465 470 475 480 Glu Ala Asn His Asn Ser Gly Thr Phe Leu Asp Arg Phe Thr Glu Ser 485 490 495 Leu His Tyr Tyr Ser Thr Met Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Gly Gly Ser Ser 500 505 510 Gly Gly Gly Pro Ser Glu Val Ser Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Pro Ala 515 520 525 Ala Ala Gly Thr Asp Gln Val Xaa Ser Glu Val Tyr Leu Gly Arg Gln 530 535 540 Ile Cys Asn Val Val Ala Cys Glu Gly Ala Glu Arg Thr Xaa Arg His 545 550 555 560 Glu Thr Leu Gly Gln Trp Arg Asn Arg Leu Gly Asn Ala Gly Phe Glu 565 570 575 Thr Val His Leu Gly Ser Asn Ala Tyr Lys Gln Ala Xaa Thr Leu Leu 580 585 590 Ala Leu Phe Ala Gly Gly Glu Arg Leu Xaa Val Glu Glu Lys Glu Gly 595 600 605 Cys Leu Thr Leu Gly Leu His Thr Xaa Pro Leu Ile Ala Thr Ser Ala 610 615 620 Trp Arg Leu Ala Gly Pro 625 630 2 532 PRT Arabidopsis thaliana 2 Met Lys Arg Asp His His His His His Gln Asp Lys Lys Thr Met Met 1 5 10 15 Met Asn Glu Glu Asp Asp Gly Asn Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Val 20 25 30 Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ser Ser Glu Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys 35 40 45 Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Val Met Met Ser Asn Val Gln Glu Asp Asp Leu 50 55 60 Ser Gln Leu Ala Thr Glu Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Ala Glu Leu Tyr 65 70 75 80 Thr Trp Leu Asp Ser Met Leu Thr Asp Leu Asn Pro Pro Ser Ser Asn 85 90 95 Ala Glu Tyr Asp Leu Lys Ala Ile Pro Gly Asp Ala Ile Leu Asn Gln 100 105 110 Phe Ala Ile Asp Ser Ala Ser Ser Ser Asn Gln Gly Gly Gly Gly Asp 115 120 125 Thr Tyr Thr Thr Asn Lys Arg Leu Lys Cys Ser Asn Gly Val Val Glu 130 135 140 Thr Thr Thr Ala Thr Ala Glu Ser Thr Arg His Val Val Leu Val Asp 145 150 155 160 Ser Gln Glu Asn Gly Val Arg Leu Val His Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala 165 170 175 Glu Ala Val Gln Lys Glu Asn Leu Thr Val Ala Glu Ala Leu Val Lys 180 185 190 Gln Ile Gly Phe Leu Ala Val Ser Gln Ile Gly Ala Met Arg Lys Val 195 200 205 Ala Thr Tyr Phe Ala Glu Ala Leu Ala Arg Arg Ile Tyr Arg Leu Ser 210 215 220 Pro Ser Gln Ser Pro Ile Asp His Ser Leu Ser Asp Thr Leu Gln Met 225 230 235 240 His Phe Tyr Glu Thr Cys Pro Tyr Leu Lys Phe Ala His Phe Thr Ala 245 250 255 Asn Gln Ala Ile Leu Glu Ala Phe Gln Gly Lys Lys Arg Val His Val 260 265 270 Ile Asp Phe Ser Met Ser Gln Gly Leu Gln Trp Pro Ala Leu Met Gln 275 280 285 Ala Leu Ala Leu Arg Pro Gly Gly Pro Pro Val Phe Arg Leu Thr Gly 290 295 300 Ile Gly Pro Pro Ala Pro Asp Asn Phe Asp Tyr Leu His Glu Val Gly 305 310 315 320 Cys Lys Leu Ala His Leu Ala Glu Ala Ile His Val Glu Phe Glu Tyr 325 330 335 Arg Gly Phe Val Ala Asn Thr Leu Ala Asp Leu Asp Ala Ser Met Leu 340 345 350 Glu Leu Arg Pro Ser Glu Ile Glu Ser Val Ala Val Asn Ser Val Phe 355 360 365 Glu Leu His Lys Leu Leu Gly Arg Pro Gly Ala Ile Asp Lys Val Leu 370 375 380 Gly Val Val Asn Gln Ile Lys Pro Glu Ile Phe Thr Val Val Glu Gln 385 390 395 400 Glu Ser Asn His Asn Ser Pro Ile Phe Leu Asp Arg Phe Thr Glu Ser 405 410 415 Leu His Tyr Tyr Ser Thr Leu Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Gly Val Pro Ser 420 425 430 Gly Gln Asp Lys Val Met Ser Glu Val Tyr Leu Gly Lys Gln Ile Cys 435 440 445 Asn Val Val Ala Cys Asp Gly Pro Asp Arg Val Glu Arg His Glu Thr 450 455 460 Leu Ser Gln Trp Arg Asn Arg Phe Gly Ser Ala Gly Phe Ala Ala Ala 465 470 475 480 His Ile Gly Ser Asn Ala Phe Lys Gln Ala Ser Met Leu Leu Ala Leu 485 490 495 Phe Asn Gly Gly Glu Gly Tyr Arg Val Glu Glu Ser Asp Gly Cys Leu 500 505 510 Met Leu Gly Trp His Thr Arg Pro Leu Ile Ala Thr Ser Ala Trp Lys 515 520 525 Leu Ser Thr Asn 530 3 2709 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (6) n is any nucleotide 3 tttcantttc ntcctttttt cttctttttc caacccccgg cccccngacc cttggatcca 60 aatcccgaac ccgcccccag aaccnggaac cgaggccaag caaaagnttt gcgccaatta 120 ttggccagag atagatagag aggcgaggta gctcgcggat catgaagcgg gagtaccagg 180 acgccggagg gagcggcggc ggcggtggcg gcatgggttc gtccgaggac aagatgatgg 240 tgtcggcggc ggcgggggag ggggaggagg tggacgagct gctggcggcg ctcgggtaca 300 aggtgcgcgc ctccgacatg gcggacgtgg cgcagaagct ggagcagctc gagatggcca 360 tggggatggg cggcgtgggc gctggcgccg cccctgacga caggttngcc acccgcnggc 420 cgcggacacn gtgcantaca accccacnga cntgtcgtct tgggtcgaga gcatgctgtc 480 ggagctaaan gagccgcngc cgcccctccc gcccgccccg cagctcaacg cctccaccgt 540 cacgggcagc ggcggntact tngatctccc gccctcagtc gactcctcca gcagcatcta 600 cgcgctgcgg ccgatcccct ccccggccgg cgcgacggcg ccggccgacc tgtccgccga 660 ctccgtgcgg gatcccaagc ggatgcgcac tggcgggagc agcacctcgt cgtcatcctc 720 ctcatantcg tctctcggtg ggggcgccag gagctctgtg gtggaggcng ccccgccggt 780 cgcggccgcg gccaacgcga cgcccgcgct gccggtcgtc gtggtcgaca cgcaggaggc 840 cgggattcgg ctggtgcacg cgctgctggc gtgcgcggag gccgtgcagc aggagaacct 900 ctccgccgcg gaggcgctgg tgaagcagat acccttgctg gccgcgtccc agggcggcgc 960 gatgcgcaag gtcgccgcct acttcggcga ggccctcgcc cgccgcgtct tccgcttccg 1020 cccgcagccg gacagctccc tcctcgacgc cgccttcgcc gacctcctcc acgcgcactt 1080 ctacgagtcc tgcccctacc tcaagttcgc gcacttcacc gccaaccagg ccatcctgga 1140 ggcgttcgcc ggctgccgcc gcgtgcacgt cgtcgacttc ggcatcaagc aggggatgca 1200 gtggcccgca cttctccagg ccctcgccct ccgtcccggc ggccctccct cgttccgcct 1260 caccggcgtc ggccccccgc agccggacga gaccgacgcc ctgcagcagg tgggctggaa 1320 gctcgcccag ttcgcgcaca ccatccgcgt cgacttccag taccgcggcc tcgtcgccgc 1380 cacgctcgcg gacctggagc cgttcatgct gcagccggag ggcgaggagg acccgaacga 1440 agancccgan gtaatcgccg tcaactcagt cttcgagatg caccggctgc tcgcgcagcc 1500 cggcgccctg gaaaaggttc ttgggcaccg tgcgcccccg tgcggcccag aattcntcac 1560 cgtggtggaa acaggaggca aatcacaact ccggcacatt cctggaccgc ttcaccgagt 1620 ctctgcacta ctactccacc atgttcgatt ccctcgaggg cggcagctcc ggcggcggcc 1680 catccgaagt ctcatcgggg gctgctgctg ctcctgccgc cgccggcacg gaccaggtca 1740 tntccgaggt gtacctcggc cggcagatct gcaacgtggt ggcctgcgag ggggcggaac 1800 gcacagancg ccacgagacg ctgggccagt ggcggaaccg gctgggcaac gccgggttcg 1860 agaccgtcca cctgggctcc aatgcctaca agcaggcgan cacgctgctg gcgctcttcg 1920 ccggcggcga acggctacan gtggaagaaa aggaaggctg cctgacgctg gggttgcaca 1980 cncccccctg attgccacct cggcatggcg cctggccggg ccgtgatctc gcgagttttg 2040 aacgctgtaa gtacacatcg tgagcatgga ggacaacaca gccccggcgg ccgccccggc 2100 tctccggcga acgcacgcac gcacgcactt gaagaagaag aagctaaatg tcatgtcagt 2160 gagcgctgaa ttgcagcgac cggctacgat cgatcgggct acgggtggtt ccgtccgtct 2220 ggcgtgaaga ggtggatgga cgacgaactc cgagccgacc accaccggca tgtagtaatg 2280 taatcccttc ttcgttccca gttctccacc gcctccatga tcacccgtaa aactcctaag 2340 ccctattatt actactatta tgtttaaatg tctattattg ctatgtgtaa ttcctccaac 2400 cgctcatatc aaaataagca cgggccggac tttgttanca gctccaatga gaatgaaatg 2460 aattttgtac gcaaggcacg tccaaaactg ggctgagctt tgttctgttc tgttatgttc 2520 atggtgctca ctgctctgat gaacatgatg gtgcctccaa tggtggcttt gcaattgttg 2580 aaacgtttgg cttgggggac ttgngtgggt gggtgcatgg ggatgaatat tcacatcncc 2640 ggattaaaat taagccatcc cgttggccgt cctttgaata ncttgcccna aacgaaattt 2700 cccccnatc 2709 4 10 PRT Triticum aestivum 4 Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu 1 5 10 5 256 PRT Oryza sativa 5 Arg Pro Thr Arg Pro Glu Ala Gly Gly Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Ser Ser 1 5 10 15 Ala Asp Met Gly Ser Cys Lys Asp Lys Val Met Ala Gly Ala Ala Gly 20 25 30 Glu Glu Glu Asp Val Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val 35 40 45 Arg Ser Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu 50 55 60 Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val Ser Ala Pro Gly Ala Ala Asp Asp 65 70 75 80 Gly Phe Val Ser His Leu Ala Thr Asp Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Ser 85 90 95 Asp Leu Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser Met Leu Ser Glu Leu Asn Ala Pro 100 105 110 Leu Pro Pro Ile Pro Pro Ala Pro Pro Ala Ala Arg His Ala Ser Thr 115 120 125 Ser Ser Thr Val Thr Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Phe Phe Glu Leu Pro 130 135 140 Ala Ala Ala Asp Ser Ser Ser Ser Thr Tyr Ala Leu Arg Pro Ile Ser 145 150 155 160 Leu Pro Val Val Ala Thr Ala Asp Pro Ser Ala Ala Asp Ser Ala Arg 165 170 175 Asp Thr Lys Arg Met Arg Thr Gly Gly Gly Ser Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser 180 185 190 Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Leu Gly Gly Gly Ala Ser Arg Gly Ser Val Val 195 200 205 Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Ala Thr Gln Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Asn Ala Pro 210 215 220 Ala Val Pro Val Val Val Val Asp Thr Gln Glu Ala Gly Ile Arg Leu 225 230 235 240 Val His Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Glu Ala Val Gln Gln Glu Asn Phe 245 250 255 6 425 PRT Triticum aestivum 6 Ala Arg Ser Ser Val Val Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Val Ala Ala Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Asn Ala Thr Pro Ala Leu Pro Val Val Val Val Asp Thr Gln Glu Ala 20 25 30 Gly Ile Arg Leu Val His Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Glu Ala Val Gln 35 40 45 Gln Glu Asn Leu Ser Ala Ala Glu Ala Leu Val Lys Gln Ile Pro Leu 50 55 60 Leu Ala Ala Ser Gln Gly Gly Ala Met Arg Lys Val Ala Ala Tyr Phe 65 70 75 80 Gly Glu Ala Leu Ala Arg Arg Val Phe Arg Phe Arg Pro Gln Pro Asp 85 90 95 Ser Ser Leu Leu Asp Ala Ala Phe Ala Asp Leu Leu His Ala His Phe 100 105 110 Tyr Glu Ser Cys Pro Tyr Leu Lys Phe Ala His Phe Thr Ala Asn Gln 115 120 125 Ala Ile Leu Glu Ala Phe Ala Gly Cys Arg Arg Val His Val Val Asp 130 135 140 Phe Gly Ile Lys Gln Gly Met Gln Trp Pro Ala Leu Leu Gln Ala Leu 145 150 155 160 Ala Leu Arg Pro Gly Gly Pro Pro Ser Phe Arg Leu Thr Gly Val Gly 165 170 175 Pro Pro Gln Pro Asp Glu Thr Asp Ala Leu Gln Gln Val Gly Trp Lys 180 185 190 Leu Ala Gln Phe Ala His Thr Ile Arg Val Asp Phe Gln Tyr Arg Gly 195 200 205 Leu Val Ala Ala Thr Leu Ala Asp Leu Glu Pro Phe Met Leu Gln Pro 210 215 220 Glu Gly Glu Glu Asp Pro Asn Glu Glu Pro Glu Val Ile Ala Val Asn 225 230 235 240 Ser Val Phe Glu Met His Arg Leu Leu Ala Gln Pro Gly Ala Leu Glu 245 250 255 Lys Val Leu Gly Thr Val Arg Ala Val Arg Pro Arg Ile Val Thr Val 260 265 270 Val Glu Gln Glu Ala Asn His Asn Ser Gly Thr Phe Leu Asp Arg Phe 275 280 285 Thr Glu Ser Leu His Tyr Tyr Ser Thr Met Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Gly 290 295 300 Gly Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Pro Ser Glu Val Ser Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala 305 310 315 320 Ala Pro Ala Ala Ala Gly Thr Asp Gln Val Met Ser Glu Val Tyr Leu 325 330 335 Gly Arg Gln Ile Cys Asn Val Val Ala Cys Glu Gly Ala Glu Arg Thr 340 345 350 Glu Arg His Glu Thr Leu Gly Gln Trp Arg Asn Arg Leu Gly Asn Ala 355 360 365 Gly Phe Glu Thr Val His Leu Gly Ser Asn Ala Tyr Lys Gln Ala Ser 370 375 380 Thr Leu Leu Ala Leu Phe Ala Gly Gly Asp Gly Tyr Lys Val Glu Glu 385 390 395 400 Lys Glu Gly Cys Leu Thr Leu Gly Trp His Thr Arg Pro Leu Ile Ala 405 410 415 Thr Ser Ala Trp Arg Leu Ala Gly Pro 420 425 7 623 PRT Triticum aestivum 7 Met Lys Arg Glu Tyr Gln Asp Ala Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Gly Gly Gly 1 5 10 15 Gly Met Gly Ser Ser Glu Asp Lys Met Met Val Ser Ala Ala Ala Gly 20 25 30 Glu Gly Glu Glu Val Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val 35 40 45 Arg Ala Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu 50 55 60 Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val Gly Ala Gly Ala Ala Pro Asp Asp 65 70 75 80 Ser Phe Ala Thr His Leu Ala Thr Asp Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Thr 85 90 95 Asp Leu Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser Met Leu Ser Glu Leu Asn Ala Pro 100 105 110 Pro Pro Pro Leu Pro Pro Ala Pro Gln Leu Asn Ala Ser Thr Ser Ser 115 120 125 Thr Val Thr Gly Ser Gly Gly Tyr Phe Asp Leu Pro Pro Ser Val Asp 130 135 140 Ser Ser Ser Ser Ile Tyr Ala Leu Arg Pro Ile Pro Ser Pro Ala Gly 145 150 155 160 Ala Thr Ala Pro Ala Asp Leu Ser Ala Asp Ser Val Arg Asp Pro Lys 165 170 175 Arg Met Arg Thr Gly Gly Ser Ser Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser 180 185 190 Ser Ser Leu Gly Gly Gly Ala Arg Ser Ser Val Val Glu Ala Ala Pro 195 200 205 Pro Val Ala Ala Ala Ala Asn Ala Thr Pro Ala Leu Pro Val Val Val 210 215 220 Val Asp Thr Gln Glu Ala Gly Ile Arg Leu Val His Ala Leu Leu Ala 225 230 235 240 Cys Ala Glu Ala Val Gln Gln Glu Asn Leu Ser Ala Ala Glu Ala Leu 245 250 255 Val Lys Gln Ile Pro Leu Leu Ala Ala Ser Gln Gly Gly Ala Met Arg 260 265 270 Lys Val Ala Ala Tyr Phe Gly Glu Ala Leu Ala Arg Arg Val Phe Arg 275 280 285 Phe Arg Pro Gln Pro Asp Ser Ser Leu Leu Asp Ala Ala Phe Ala Asp 290 295 300 Leu Leu His Ala His Phe Tyr Glu Ser Cys Pro Tyr Leu Lys Phe Ala 305 310 315 320 His Phe Thr Ala Asn Gln Ala Ile Leu Glu Ala Phe Ala Gly Cys Arg 325 330 335 Arg Val His Val Val Asp Phe Gly Ile Lys Gln Gly Met Gln Trp Pro 340 345 350 Ala Leu Leu Gln Ala Leu Ala Leu Arg Pro Gly Gly Pro Pro Ser Phe 355 360 365 Arg Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Pro Pro Gln Pro Asp Glu Thr Asp Ala Leu 370 375 380 Gln Gln Val Gly Trp Lys Leu Ala Gln Phe Ala His Thr Ile Arg Val 385 390 395 400 Asp Phe Gln Tyr Arg Gly Leu Val Ala Ala Thr Leu Ala Asp Leu Glu 405 410 415 Pro Phe Met Leu Gln Pro Glu Gly Glu Glu Asp Pro Asn Glu Glu Pro 420 425 430 Glu Val Ile Ala Val Asn Ser Val Phe Glu Met His Arg Leu Leu Ala 435 440 445 Gln Pro Gly Ala Leu Glu Lys Val Leu Gly Thr Val Arg Ala Val Arg 450 455 460 Pro Arg Ile Val Thr Val Val Glu Gln Glu Ala Asn His Asn Ser Gly 465 470 475 480 Thr Phe Leu Asp Arg Phe Thr Glu Ser Leu His Tyr Tyr Ser Thr Met 485 490 495 Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Gly Gly Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Pro Ser Glu Val 500 505 510 Ser Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Pro Ala Ala Ala Gly Thr Asp Gln Val 515 520 525 Met Ser Glu Val Tyr Leu Gly Arg Gln Ile Cys Asn Val Val Ala Cys 530 535 540 Glu Gly Ala Glu Arg Thr Glu Arg His Glu Thr Leu Gly Gln Trp Arg 545 550 555 560 Asn Arg Leu Gly Asn Ala Gly Phe Glu Thr Val His Leu Gly Ser Asn 565 570 575 Ala Tyr Lys Gln Ala Ser Thr Leu Leu Ala Leu Phe Ala Gly Gly Asp 580 585 590 Gly Tyr Lys Val Glu Glu Lys Glu Gly Cys Leu Thr Leu Gly Trp His 595 600 605 Thr Arg Pro Leu Ile Ala Thr Ser Ala Trp Arg Leu Ala Gly Pro 610 615 620 8 630 PRT Zea mays 8 Met Lys Arg Glu Tyr Gln Asp Ala Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Asp Met Gly 1 5 10 15 Ser Ser Lys Asp Lys Met Met Ala Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala Gly Glu Gln 20 25 30 Glu Glu Glu Asp Val Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val 35 40 45 Arg Ser Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu 50 55 60 Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val Gly Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ala Asp 65 70 75 80 Asp Gly Phe Val Ser His Leu Ala Thr Asp Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro 85 90 95 Ser Asp Leu Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser Met Leu Ser Glu Leu Asn Ala 100 105 110 Pro Pro Ala Pro Leu Pro Pro Ala Thr Pro Ala Pro Arg Leu Ala Ser 115 120 125 Thr Ser Ser Thr Val Thr Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala Gly Tyr Phe 130 135 140 Asp Leu Pro Pro Ala Val Asp Ser Ser Ser Ser Thr Tyr Ala Leu Lys 145 150 155 160 Pro Ile Pro Ser Pro Val Ala Ala Pro Ser Ala Asp Pro Ser Thr Asp 165 170 175 Ser Ala Arg Glu Pro Lys Arg Met Arg Thr Gly Gly Gly Ser Thr Ser 180 185 190 Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Met Asp Gly Gly Arg Thr Arg Ser 195 200 205 Ser Val Val Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Ala Thr Gln Ala Ser Ala Ala Ala 210 215 220 Asn Gly Pro Ala Val Pro Val Val Val Val Asp Thr Gln Glu Ala Gly 225 230 235 240 Ile Arg Leu Val His Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Glu Ala Val Gln Gln 245 250 255 Glu Asn Phe Ser Ala Ala Glu Ala Leu Val Lys Gln Ile Pro Met Leu 260 265 270 Ala Ser Ser Gln Gly Gly Ala Met Arg Lys Val Ala Ala Tyr Phe Gly 275 280 285 Glu Ala Leu Ala Arg Arg Val Tyr Arg Phe Arg Pro Pro Pro Asp Ser 290 295 300 Ser Leu Leu Asp Ala Ala Phe Ala Asp Leu Leu His Ala His Phe Tyr 305 310 315 320 Glu Ser Cys Pro Tyr Leu Lys Phe Ala His Phe Thr Ala Asn Gln Ala 325 330 335 Ile Leu Glu Ala Phe Ala Gly Cys Arg Arg Val His Val Val Asp Phe 340 345 350 Gly Ile Lys Gln Gly Met Gln Trp Pro Ala Leu Leu Gln Ala Leu Ala 355 360 365 Leu Arg Pro Gly Gly Pro Pro Ser Phe Arg Leu Thr Gly Val Gly Pro 370 375 380 Pro Gln Pro Asp Glu Thr Asp Ala Leu Gln Gln Val Gly Trp Lys Leu 385 390 395 400 Ala Gln Phe Ala His Thr Ile Arg Val Asp Phe Gln Tyr Arg Gly Leu 405 410 415 Val Ala Ala Thr Leu Ala Asp Leu Glu Pro Phe Met Leu Gln Pro Glu 420 425 430 Gly Asp Asp Thr Asp Asp Glu Pro Glu Val Ile Ala Val Asn Ser Val 435 440 445 Phe Glu Leu His Arg Leu Leu Ala Gln Pro Gly Ala Leu Glu Lys Val 450 455 460 Leu Gly Thr Val Arg Ala Val Arg Pro Arg Ile Val Thr Val Val Glu 465 470 475 480 Gln Glu Ala Asn His Asn Ser Gly Thr Phe Leu Asp Arg Phe Thr Glu 485 490 495 Ser Leu His Tyr Tyr Ser Thr Met Phe Asp Ser Leu Glu Gly Ala Gly 500 505 510 Ala Gly Ser Gly Gln Ser Thr Asp Ala Ser Pro Ala Ala Ala Gly Gly 515 520 525 Thr Asp Gln Val Met Ser Glu Val Tyr Leu Gly Arg Gln Ile Cys Asn 530 535 540 Val Val Ala Cys Glu Gly Ala Glu Arg Thr Glu Arg His Glu Thr Leu 545 550 555 560 Gly Gln Trp Arg Ser Arg Leu Gly Gly Ser Gly Phe Ala Pro Val His 565 570 575 Leu Gly Ser Asn Ala Tyr Lys Gln Ala Ser Thr Leu Leu Ala Leu Phe 580 585 590 Ala Gly Gly Asp Gly Tyr Arg Val Glu Glu Lys Asp Gly Cys Leu Thr 595 600 605 Leu Gly Trp His Thr Arg Pro Leu Ile Ala Thr Ser Ala Trp Arg Val 610 615 620 Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Pro 625 630 9 100 PRT Zea mays 9 Tyr Gln Asp Ala Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Asp Met Gly Ser Ser Lys Asp 1 5 10 15 Lys Met Met Ala Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala Gly Glu Gln Glu Glu Glu Asp 20 25 30 Val Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ser Ser Asp 35 40 45 Met Ala Gly Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val 50 55 60 Gly Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ala Asp Asp Gly Phe Val Ser His Leu Ala 65 70 75 80 Thr Asp Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Ser Asp Leu Ser Ser Trp Val Glu 85 90 95 Ser Met Leu Ser 100 10 123 PRT Zea mays 10 Ser Ser Lys Asp Lys Met Met Ala Ala Ala Ala Gly Ala Gly Glu Gln 1 5 10 15 Glu Glu Glu Asp Val Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val 20 25 30 Arg Ser Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu 35 40 45 Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val Gly Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ala Asp 50 55 60 Asp Gly Phe Val Ser His Leu Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser Met Leu Ser 65 70 75 80 Glu Leu Asn Ala Pro Pro Ala Pro Leu Pro Pro Ala Thr Pro Ala Pro 85 90 95 Arg Leu Ala Ser Thr Ser Ser Thr Val Thr Ser Gly Ala Ala Ala Gly 100 105 110 Ala Gly Tyr Phe Asp Leu Pro Pro Ala Val Asp 115 120 11 138 PRT Triticum aestivum 11 Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ala Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val Ala 1 5 10 15 Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Met Ala Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val Gly 20 25 30 Ala Gly Ala Ala Pro Asp Asp Ser Phe Ala Thr His Leu Ala Thr Asp 35 40 45 Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Thr Asp Leu Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser Met 50 55 60 Leu Ser Glu Leu Asn Ala Ser Thr Ser Ser Thr Val Thr Gly Ser Gly 65 70 75 80 Gly Tyr Phe Asp Leu Pro Pro Ser Val Asp Ser Ser Ser Ser Ile Tyr 85 90 95 Ala Leu Arg Pro Ile Pro Ser Pro Ala Gly Ala Thr Ala Pro Ala Asp 100 105 110 Leu Ser Ala Asp Ser Val Arg Asp Pro Lys Arg Met Arg Thr Gly Gly 115 120 125 Ser Ser Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser 130 135 12 770 DNA Oryza sativa 12 gtcgacccac gcgtccggaa gccggcggga gcagcggcgg cgggagcagc gccgatatgg 60 ggtcgtgcaa ggacaaggtg atggcggggg cggcggggga ggaggaggac gtcgacgagc 120 tgctggcggc gctcgggtac aaggtgcggt cgtccgacat ggccgacgtc gcgcagaagc 180 tggagcagct ggagatggcc atggggatgg gcggcgtgag cgcccccggc gccgcggatg 240 acgggttcgt gtcgcacctg gccacggaca ccgtgcacta caacccctcg gacctctcct 300 cctgggtcga gagcatgctt tccgagctca acgcgccgct gccccctatc ccgccagcgc 360 cgccggctgc ccgccatgct tccacctcgt ccactgtcac cggcggcggt ggtagcggct 420 tctttgaact cccagccgct gccgactcgt cgagtagcac ctacgccctc aggccgatct 480 ccttaccggt ggtggcgacg gctgacccgt cggctgctga ctcggcgagg gacaccaagc 540 ggatgcgcac tggcggcggc agcacgtcgt cgtcctcatc gtcgtcttcc tctctgggcg 600 gtggggcctc gcggggctct gtggtggagg ctgctccgcc ggcgacgcaa ggggccgcgg 660 cggcgaatgc gcccgccgtg ccggttgtgg tggttgacac gcaggaggct gggatccggc 720 tggtgcacgc gttgctggcg tgcgcggagg ccgtgcagca ggagaacttc 770 13 1768 DNA Triticum aestivum 13 gccaggagct ctgtggtgga ggctgccccg ccggtcgcgg ccgcggccaa cgcgacgccc 60 gcgctgccgg tcgtcgtggt cgacacgcag gaggccggga ttcggctggt gcacgcgctg 120 ctggcgtgcg cggaggccgt gcagcaggag aacctctccg ccgcggaggc gctggtgaag 180 cagataccct tgctggccgc gtcccagggc ggcgcgatgc gcaaggtcgc cgcctacttc 240 ggcgaggccc tcgcccgccg cgtcttccgc ttccgcccgc agccggacag ctccctcctc 300 gacgccgcct tcgccgacct cctccacgcg cacttctacg agtcctgccc ctacctcaag 360 ttcgcgcact tcaccgccaa ccaggccatc ctggaggcgt tcgccggctg ccgccgcgtg 420 cacgtcgtcg acttcggcat caagcagggg atgcagtggc ccgcacttct ccaggccctc 480 gccctccgtc ccggcggccc tccctcgttc cgcctcaccg gcgtcggccc cccgcagccg 540 gacgagaccg acgccctgca gcaggtgggc tggaagctcg cccagttcgc gcacaccatc 600 cgcgtcgact tccagtaccg cggcctcgtc gccgccacgc tcgcggacct ggagccgttc 660 atgctgcagc cggagggcga ggaggacccg aacgaggagc ccgaggtaat cgccgtcaac 720 tcagtcttcg agatgcaccg gctgctcgcg cagcccggcg ccctggagaa ggtcctgggc 780 accgtgcgcg ccgtgcggcc caggatcgtc accgtggtgg agcaggaggc gaatcacaac 840 tccggcacat tcctggaccg cttcaccgag tctctgcact actactccac catgttcgat 900 tccctcgagg gcggcagctc cggcggcggc ccatccgaag tctcatcggg ggctgctgct 960 gctcctgccg ccgccggcac ggaccaggtc atgtccgagg tgtacctcgg ccggcagatc 1020 tgcaacgtgg tggcctgcga gggggcggag cgcacagagc gccacgagac gctgggccag 1080 tggcggaacc ggctgggcaa cgccgggttc gagaccgtcc acctgggctc caatgcctac 1140 aagcaggcga gcacgctgct ggcgctcttc gccggcggcg acggctacaa ggtggaggag 1200 aaggaaggct gcctgacgct ggggtggcac acgcgcccgc tgatcgccac ctcggcatgg 1260 cgcctggccg ggccgtgatc tcgcgagttt tgaacgctgt aagtacacat cgtgagcatg 1320 gaggacaaca cagccccggc ggccgccccg gctctccggc gaacgcacgc acgcacgcac 1380 ttgaagaaga agaagctaaa tgtcatgtca gtgagcgctg aattgcagcg accggctacg 1440 atcgatcggg ctacgggtgg ttccgtccgt ctggcgtgaa gaggtggatg gacgacgaac 1500 tccgagccga ccaccaccgg catgtagtaa tgtaatccct tcttcgttcc cagttctcca 1560 ccgcctccat gatcacccgt aaaactccta agccctatta ttactactat tatgtttaaa 1620 tgtctattat tgctatgtgt aattcctcca accgctcata tcaaaataag cacgggccgg 1680 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1740 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaa 1768 14 2125 DNA Triticum aestivum 14 atagagaggc gaggtagctc gcggatcatg aagcgggagt accaggacgc cggagggagc 60 ggcggcggcg gtggcggcat gggctcgtcc gaggacaaga tgatggtgtc ggcggcggcg 120 ggggaggggg aggaggtgga cgagctgctg gcggcgctcg ggtacaaggt gcgcgcctcc 180 gacatggcgg acgtggcgca gaagctggag cagctcgaga tggccatggg gatgggcggc 240 gtgggcgccg gcgccgcccc cgacgacagc ttcgccaccc acctcgccac ggacaccgtg 300 cactacaacc ccaccgacct gtcgtcttgg gtcgagagca tgctgtcgga gctcaacgcg 360 ccgccgccgc ccctcccgcc cgccccgcag ctcaacgcct ccacctcctc caccgtcacg 420 ggcagcggcg gctacttcga tctcccgccc tccgtcgact cctccagcag catctacgcg 480 ctgcggccga tcccctcccc ggccggcgcg acggcgccgg ccgacctgtc cgccgactcc 540 gtgcgggatc ccaagcggat gcgcactggc gggagcagca cctcgtcgtc atcctcctcc 600 tcgtcgtctc tcggtggggg cgccaggagc tctgtggtgg aggctgcccc gccggtcgcg 660 gccgcggcca acgcgacgcc cgcgctgccg gtcgtcgtgg tcgacacgca ggaggccggg 720 attcggctgg tgcacgcgct gctggcgtgc gcggaggccg tgcagcagga gaacctctcc 780 gccgcggagg cgctggtgaa gcagataccc ttgctggccg cgtcccaggg cggcgcgatg 840 cgcaaggtcg ccgcctactt cggcgaggcc ctcgcccgcc gcgtcttccg cttccgcccg 900 cagccggaca gctccctcct cgacgccgcc ttcgccgacc tcctccacgc gcacttctac 960 gagtcctgcc cctacctcaa gttcgcgcac ttcaccgcca accaggccat cctggaggcg 1020 ttcgccggct gccgccgcgt gcacgtcgtc gacttcggca tcaagcaggg gatgcagtgg 1080 cccgcacttc tccaggccct cgccctccgt cccggcggcc ctccctcgtt ccgcctcacc 1140 ggcgtcggcc ccccgcagcc ggacgagacc gacgccctgc agcaggtggg ctggaagctc 1200 gcccagttcg cgcacaccat ccgcgtcgac ttccagtacc gcggcctcgt cgccgccacg 1260 ctcgcggacc tggagccgtt catgctgcag ccggagggcg aggaagaccc gaacgaggag 1320 cccgaggtaa tcgccgtcaa ctcagtcttc gagatgcacc ggctgctcgc gcagcccggc 1380 gccctggaga aggtcctggg caccgtgcgc gccgtgcggc ccaggatcgt caccgtggtg 1440 gagcaggagg cgaatcacaa ctccggcaca ttcctggacc gcttcaccga gtctctgcac 1500 tactactcca ccatgttcga ttccctcgag ggcggcagct ccggcggcgg cccatccgaa 1560 gtctcatcgg gggctgctgc tgctcctgcc gccgccggca cggaccaggt catgtccgag 1620 gtgtacctcg gccggcagat ctgcaacgtg gtggcctgcg agggggcgga gcgcacagag 1680 cgccacgaga cgctgggcca gtggcggaac cggctgggca acgccgggtt cgagaccgtc 1740 cacctgggct ccaatgccta caagcaggcg agcacgctgc tggcgctctt cgccggcggc 1800 gacggctaca aggtggagga gaaggaaggc tgcctgacgc tggggtggca cacgcgcccg 1860 ctgatcgcca cctcggcatg gcgcctggcc gggccgtgat ctcgcgagtt ttgaacgctg 1920 taagtacaca tcgtgagcat ggaggacaac acagccccgg cggccgcccc ggctctccgg 1980 cgaacgcacg cacgcacgca cttgaagaag aagaagctaa atgtcatgtc agtgagcgct 2040 gaattgcagc gaccggctac gatcgatcgg gctacgggtg gttccgtccg tctggcgtga 2100 agaggtggat ggacgacgaa ctccg 2125 15 2255 DNA Zea mays 15 tttcgcctgc cgctgctatt aataattgcc ttcttggttt ccccgttttc gccccagccg 60 cttcccccct cccctaccct ttccttcccc actcgcactt cccaaccctg gatccaaatc 120 ccaagctatc ccagaaccga aaccgaggcg cgcaagccat tattagctgg ctagctaggc 180 ctgtagctcc gaaatcatga agcgcgagta ccaagacgcc ggcgggagtg gcggcgacat 240 gggctcctcc aaggacaaga tgatggcggc ggcggcggga gcaggggaac aggaggagga 300 ggacgtggat gagctgctgg ccgcgctcgg gtacaaggtg cgttcgtcgg atatggcgga 360 cgtcgcgcag aagctggagc agctcgagat ggccatgggg atgggcggcg tgggcggcgc 420 cggcgctacc gctgatgacg ggttcgtgtc gcacctcgcc acggacaccg tgcactacaa 480 tccctccgac ctgtcgtcct gggtcgagag catgctgtcc gagctcaacg cgcccccagc 540 gccgctcccg cccgcgacgc cggccccaag gctcgcgtcc acatcgtcca ccgtcacaag 600 tggcgccgcc gccggtgctg gctacttcga tctcccgccc gccgtggact cgtccagcag 660 tacctacgct ctgaagccga tcccctcgcc ggtggcggcg ccgtcggccg acccgtccac 720 ggactcggcg cgggagccca agcggatgag gactggcggc ggcagcacgt cgtcctcctc 780 ttcctcgtcg tcatccatgg atggcggtcg cactaggagc tccgtggtcg aagctgcgcc 840 gccggcgacg caagcatccg cggcggccaa cgggcccgcg gtgccggtgg tggtggtgga 900 cacgcaggag gccgggatcc ggctcgtgca cgcgctgctg gcgtgcgcgg aggccgtgca 960 gcaggagaac ttctctgcgg cggaggcgct ggtcaagcag atccccatgc tggcctcgtc 1020 gcagggcggt gccatgcgca aggtcgccgc ctacttcggc gaggcgcttg cccgccgcgt 1080 gtatcgcttc cgcccgccac cggacagctc cctcctcgac gccgccttcg ccgacctctt 1140 gcacgcgcac ttctacgagt cctgccccta cctgaagttc gcccacttca ccgcgaacca 1200 ggccatcctc gaggccttcg ccggctgccg ccgcgtccac gtcgtcgact tcggcatcaa 1260 gcaggggatg cagtggccgg ctcttctcca ggccctcgcc ctccgccctg gcggcccccc 1320 gtcgttccgg ctcaccggcg tcgggccgcc gcagcccgac gagaccgacg ccttgcagca 1380 ggtgggctgg aaacttgccc agttcgcgca caccatccgc gtggacttcc agtaccgtgg 1440 cctcgtcgcg gccacgctcg ccgacctgga gccgttcatg ctgcaaccgg agggcgatga 1500 cacggatgac gagcccgagg tgatcgccgt gaactccgtg ttcgagctgc accggcttct 1560 tgcgcagccc ggtgccctcg agaaggtcct gggcacggtg cgcgcggtgc ggccgaggat 1620 cgtgaccgtg gtcgagcagg aggccaacca caactccggc acgttcctcg accgcttcac 1680 cgagtcgctg cactactact ccaccatgtt cgattctctc gagggcgccg gcgccggctc 1740 cggccagtcc accgacgcct ccccggccgc ggccggcggc acggaccagg tcatgtcgga 1800 ggtgtacctc ggccggcaga tctgcaacgt ggtggcgtgc gagggcgcgg agcgcacgga 1860 gcgccacgag acgctgggcc agtggcgcag ccgcctcggc ggctccgggt tcgcgcccgt 1920 gcacctgggc tccaatgcct acaagcaggc gagcacgctg ctggcgctct tcgccggcgg 1980 cgacgggtac agggtggagg agaaggacgg gtgcctgacc ctggggtggc atacgcgccc 2040 gctcatcgcc acctcggcgt ggcgcgtcgc cgccgccgcc gctccgtgat cagggagggg 2100 tggttggggc ttctggacgc cgatcaaggc acacgtacgt cccctggcat ggcgcaccct 2160 ccctcgagct cgccggcacg ggtgaagcta cccgggggat ccactaattc taaaacggcc 2220 ccaccgcggt ggaactccac cttttgttcc cttta 2255 16 302 DNA Zea mays 16 taccaagacg ccggcgggag tggcggcgac atgggctcct ccaaggacaa gatgatggcg 60 gcggcggcgg gagcagggga acaggaggag gaggacgtgg atgagctgct ggccgcgctc 120 gggtacaagg tgcgttcgtc ggatatggcg gggctggagc agctcgagat ggccatgggg 180 atgggcggcg tgggcggcgc cggcgctacc gctgatgacg ggttcgtgtc gcacctcgcc 240 acggacaccg tgcactacaa tccctccgac ctgtcgtcct gggtcgagag catgctgtcc 300 ga 302 17 371 DNA Zea mays 17 tcctccaagg acaagatgat ggcggcggcg gcgggagcag gggaacagga ggaggaggac 60 gtggatgagc tgctggccgc gctcgggtac aaggtgcgtt cgtcggatat ggcggacgtc 120 gcgcagaagc tggagcagct cgagatggcc atggggatgg gcggcgtggg cggcgccggc 180 gctaccgctg atgacgggtt cgtgtcgcac ctgtcgtcct gggtcgagag catgctgtcc 240 gagctcaacg cgcccccagc gccgctcccg cccgcgacgc cggccccaag gctcgcgtcc 300 acatcgtcca ccgtcacaag tggcgccgcc gccggtgctg gctacttcga tctcccgccc 360 gccgtggact c 371 18 416 DNA Triticum aestivum 18 gcggcgctcg ggtacaaggt gcgcgcctcc gacatggcgg acgtggcgca gaagctggag 60 cagctcgaga tggccatggg gatgggcggc gtgggcgccg gcgccgcccc cgacgacagc 120 ttcgccaccc acctcgccac ggacaccgtg cactacaacc ccaccgacct gtcgtcttgg 180 gtcgagagca tgctgtcgga gctcaacgcc tccacctcct ccaccgtcac gggcagcggc 240 ggctacttcg atctcccgcc ctccgtcgac tcctccagca gcatctacgc gctgcggccg 300 atcccctccc cggccggcgc gacggcgccg gccgacctgt ccgccgactc cgtgcgggat 360 cccaagcgga tgcgcactgg cgggagcagc acctcgtcgt catcctcctc ctcgtc 416 19 725 DNA Oryza sativa misc_feature (171) n is any nucleotide 19 acgcgtccgg aagccggcgg gagcagcggc ggcgggagca gcgccgatat ggggtcgtgc 60 aaggacaagg tgatggcggg ggcggcgggg gaggaggagg acgtctacga gctgctggcg 120 gcgctcgggt acaaggtgcg gtcgtccgac atggccgacg tcgcgcagaa nctggagcag 180 ctggagatgg ccatggggat gggcggcgtg agcgcccccg gcgccgcgga tgacgggttc 240 gtgtcgcacc tggccacgga caccgtgcac tacaacccct cggacctctc ctcctgggtt 300 cngagagcat gctttcggag ttaaaggcgc cgttgcccct tatcccgcca ggcgccgccg 360 ggctgcccgc catgctttcc aacttcgtcc actgtcaccg gcggcggtgg tagcggcttc 420 tttgaantcc cagccgctgc cgantcgtcg agtagcacnt acgccctcag gccgatctcc 480 ttaccggtgg tggcgacggc tgacccgtcg gctgctgact cggcgaggga caccaagcgg 540 atgcgcactg gcggcggcag cacgtcgtcg tcctcatcgt cgtcttcctc tctgggcggt 600 ggggcctcgc ggggctctgt ggtggaggct gctccgccgg cgacgcaagg ggccgcggcg 660 gcgaatgcgc ccgccgtgcc ggttgtggtg gttgacacgc aggaggctgg natcgggcct 720 ggtgc 725 20 258 PRT Oryza sativa SITE (57) Xaa is unknown or other amino acid 20 Thr Arg Pro Glu Ala Gly Gly Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Ser Ser Ala Asp 1 5 10 15 Met Gly Ser Cys Lys Asp Lys Val Met Ala Gly Ala Ala Gly Glu Glu 20 25 30 Glu Asp Val Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ser 35 40 45 Ser Asp Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Xaa Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Met Ala 50 55 60 Met Gly Met Gly Gly Val Ser Ala Pro Gly Ala Ala Asp Asp Gly Phe 65 70 75 80 Val Ser His Leu Ala Thr Asp Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Ser Asp Leu 85 90 95 Ser Ser Trp Val Glu Ser Met Leu Ser Glu Leu Lys Ala Pro Leu Pro 100 105 110 Leu Ile Pro Pro Gly Ala Ala Gly Leu Pro Ala Met Leu Ser Pro Thr 115 120 125 Ser Ser Thr Val Thr Gly Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Phe Phe Glu Xaa Pro 130 135 140 Ala Ala Ala Xaa Ser Ser Ser Ser Thr Tyr Ala Leu Arg Pro Ile Ser 145 150 155 160 Leu Pro Val Val Ala Thr Ala Asp Pro Ser Ala Ala Asp Ser Ala Arg 165 170 175 Asp Thr Lys Arg Met Arg Thr Gly Gly Gly Ser Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser 180 185 190 Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Leu Gly Gly Gly Ala Ser Arg Gly Ser Val Val 195 200 205 Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Ala Thr Gln Gly Ala Ala Ala Ala Asn Ala Pro 210 215 220 Ala Val Pro Val Val Val Val Asp Thr Gln Glu Glu Glu Ala Gly Ile 225 230 235 240 Arg Leu Val His Ala Leu Leu Ala Cys Xaa Glu Ala Val Gln Gln Glu 245 250 255 Asn Phe 21 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 21 tttgcgccaa ttattggcca gagatagata gagag 35 22 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 22 gtggcggcat gggttcgtcc gaggacaaga tgatg 35 23 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 23 catggaggcg gtggagaact gggaacgaag aaggg 35 24 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 24 cccggccagg cgccatgccg aggtggcaat caggg 35 25 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 25 ggtatctgct tcaccagcgc ctccgcggcg gagag 35 26 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 26 atcggccgca gcgcgtagat gctgctggag gagtc 35 27 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 27 ctggtgaagc agataccctt gc 22 28 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 28 ctggttggcg gtgaagtgcg 20 29 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 29 gcaagggtat ctgcttcacc agc 23 30 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 30 cgcacttcac cgccaaccag 20 31 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 31 ttgtgatttg cctcctgttt cc 22 32 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 32 ccgtgcgccc ccgtgcggcc cag 23 33 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 33 aggctgcctg acgctggggt tgc 23 34 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 34 gatcggccgc agcgcgtaga tgc 23 35 25 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 35 gatcccgcac ggagtcggcg gacag 25 36 25 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 36 tccgacagca tgctctcgac ccaag 25 37 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 37 ttccgtccgt ctggcgtgaa gagg 24 38 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 38 aaatcccgaa cccgccccca gaac 24 39 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 39 gcgccaatta ttggccagag atag 24 40 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 40 ggcatgggtt cgtccgagga caag 24 41 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 41 ttgtcctcgg acgaacccat gccg 24 42 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 42 gatccaaatc ccgaacccgc cc 22 43 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 43 gtagatgctg ctggaggagt cg 22 44 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 44 gtcgtccatc cacctcttca cg 22 45 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 45 gccagagata gatagagagg cg 22 46 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 46 tagggcttag gagttttacg gg 22 47 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 47 cggagtcggc ggacaggtcg gc 22 48 25 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 48 cggagaggtt ctcctgctgc acggc 25 49 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 49 tgtgcaaccc cagcgtcagg cag 23 50 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 50 gcggcctcgt cgccgccacg ctc 23 51 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 51 tggcggcgac gaggccgcgg tac 23 52 28 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 52 aagaataagg aagagatgga gatggttg 28 53 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 53 tctgcaacgt ggtggcctgc gag 23 54 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 54 cccctcgcag gccaccacgt tgc 23 55 25 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 55 ttgggtcgag agcatgctgt cggag 25 56 27 PRT Triticum aestivum 56 Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ala Ser Asp Met 1 5 10 15 Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu 20 25 57 1746 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (674) n is any nucleotide 57 ccccgacggt cgcggccgcg gccaacgcga cgcccgcgct gccggtcgtc gtggtcgaca 60 cgcaggaggc cgggattcgg ctggtgcacg cgctgctggc gtgcgcggag gccgtgcagc 120 aggagaacct ctccgccgcg gaggcgctgg tgaagcagat acccttgctg gccgcgtccc 180 agggcggcgc gatgcgcaag gtcgccgcct acttcggcga ggccctcgcc cgccgcgtct 240 tccgcttccg cccgcagccg gacagctccc tcctcgacgc cgccttcgcc gacctcctcc 300 acgcgcactt ctacgagtcc tgcccctacc tcaagttcgc gcacttcacc gccaaccagg 360 ccatcctgga ggcgttcgcc ggctgccgcc gcgtgcacgt cgtcgacttc ggcatcaagc 420 aggggatgca gtggcccgca cttctccagg ccctcgccct ccgtcccggc ggccctccct 480 cgttccgcct caccggcgtc ggccccccgc agccggacga gaccgacgcc ctgcagcagg 540 tgggctggaa gctcgcccag ttcgcgcaca ccatccgcgt cgacttccag taccgcggcc 600 tcgtcgccgc cacgctcgcg gacctggagc cgttcatgct gcagccggag ggcgaggagg 660 acccgaacga agancccgan gtaatcgccg tcaactcagt cttcgagatg caccggctgc 720 tcgcgcagcc cggcgccctg gaaaaggttc ttgggcaccg tgcgcccccg tgcggcccag 780 aattcntcac cgtggtggaa acaggaggca aatcacaact ccggcacatt cctggaccgc 840 ttcaccgagt ctctgcacta ctactccacc atgttcgatt ccctcgaggg cggcagctcc 900 ggcggcggcc catccgaagt ctcatcgggg gctgctgctg ctcctgccgc cgccggcacg 960 gaccaggtca tntccgaggt gtacctcggc cggcagatct gcaacgtggt ggcctgcgag 1020 ggggcggaac gcacagancg ccacgagacg ctgggccagt ggcggaaccg gctgggcaac 1080 gccgggttcg agaccgtcca cctgggctcc aatgcctaca agcaggcgan cacgctgctg 1140 gcgctcttcg ccggcggcga acggctacan gtggaagaaa aggaaggctg cctgacgctg 1200 gggttgcaca cncccccctg attgccacct cggcatggcg cctggccggg ccgtgatctc 1260 gcgagttttg aacgctgtaa gtacacatcg tgagcatgga ggacaacaca gccccggcgg 1320 ccgccccggc tctccggcga acgcacgcac gcacgcactt gaagaagaag aagctaaatg 1380 tcatgtcagt gagcgctgaa ttgcagcgac cggctacgat cgatcgggct acgggtggtt 1440 ccgtccgtct ggcgtgaaga ggtggatgga cgacgaactc cgagccgacc accaccggca 1500 tgtagtaatg taatcccttc ttcgttccca gttctccacc gcctccatga tcacccgtaa 1560 aactcctaag ccctattatt actactatta tgtttaaatg tctattattg ctatgtgtaa 1620 ttcctccaac cgctcatatc aaaataagca cgggccggaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1680 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1740 aaaaaa 1746 58 332 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (19) n is any nucleotide 58 cgcgcaatgc ttaaggtcnc cgcctacttc ggngcaggcc ctcgcccgcc gcgtcttccg 60 cttccgcccg cagccggaca gctccctcct cgacgccgcc ttcgccgacc tcctccacgc 120 gcacttctac nagtcctgcc cctacctcaa gttcgcgcac ttcaccgcca attaggccat 180 cctggaggcg ttcgccggct gccgccgcgt gcacgtcgtc gacttcggca tcaagcaggg 240 gatgcagtgg cccgcacttc tccaggccct cgccctccgt cccggcggcc ctccctcgtt 300 ccgcctcacc ggcgtcggcc ccccgcagcc gg 332 59 377 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (17) n is any nucleotide 59 acctccttcg tcgtctntnn ggtgggggcg ccaggagctt atgtggtgga ggntggcccc 60 nccggtcgcg accgcgncct acgngacgcc cgcgctgccg gtcgtcgtgg tcgacacgca 120 ggaggccggg attcggntgg tncacgcgct gctggngtgc gnggagnccg tgcagcagga 180 gaacctctcc gccgcggagg cgctngtgaa gnagataccc ntgctggccg agtcccaggg 240 cggcgagatg ngcaaggtng cagcttactt ngnagangcc ctcgcccgcn gagtgattcc 300 acttancgcc tgcagccgga nagctccgtc ctcgaanccg cnttngccga cctcctccac 360 gngcacntnt acgagtc 377 60 211 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (3) n is any nucleotide 60 tantagtctc tcggtggggg cgccaggagc tctntggtgg aggcngcccc gccggtcgcg 60 gccgcggcca acgcgacgcc cgcgctgccg gtcgtcgtgg tcgacacgca ggaggccggg 120 attcggatgg tgcacgcgct gntggcgtgc gcggaggccg tgaaacagtt gaaggnccnc 180 gcctnnnnnc ncacaanntg aaagccccgn g 211 61 369 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (5) n is any nucleotide 61 ggctnccncc ncgtgcacgt cgtcgacttc ggcatcaagc atgggatgca ntggcncgna 60 cttctccang ccctcgccct ccgtcccggc ggccctccct cgttccgcct caccggcgtc 120 ggccccccgc agccggacga gaccgacgcc ctgcancagg tgggctggaa gctcgcccag 180 ttcgcgcaca ccatccgcgt cgacttccan taccgtggcc tcgtcgccgc cacgctcgcg 240 gacctggagc cgttcatgct gcanccggag ggcgaggagg acccgaacga cggagcccga 300 ggtaatcgcc gtcaactcag tcttcgagat gcaccgggct gctcncgcan cccggcgacn 360 ctggaanaa 369 62 357 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (6) n is any nucleotide 62 caagangcta atcacaactc cggcacattc ctggaccgct tcaccgagtc tctgcantac 60 tactccacca tgttcgattc cctcgagggc ggcagctccg gcggcggccc atccgaagtc 120 tcatcggggg ctgctgctgc tcctgccgcc gccggcacgg accatgtcat gtccgangtg 180 tacctcggcc ggcagatctg caacgtggtg gcctgcgagg gggcggagcg cacantancg 240 ccacgcagac nctgggccag tggcgtgaac cggctgggca acgccnggtt cannnnccgt 300 ccacctgggc tccaatgcct acaatcangc nnncacgctg ctggcgcctc ttcgccc 357 63 511 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (7) n is any nucleotide 63 tcgccantcg gcatggngcc tggccgggcc gtgatctcgc gagttttgaa cgctgtaagt 60 acacatcgtg agcatggagg acaacacagc cccggcggcc gccccggctc tccggcgaac 120 gcacgcacgc acgcacttgg aagaagaana agctaaatgt catgtcagtg agcgctgaat 180 tgcaacgacc ggctacgatc gatcgggcta cgggtggttc cgtccgtctg gcgtgaagag 240 gtggatggac gacgaactcc ganccgacca ccaccggcat gtagtaatgt aatcccttct 300 tcgttcccag ttctccaccg cctccatgga tcacccgtaa aactcctaag ccctaattat 360 nnactaacta attatgtttt aaaatgttct aattaattgg ctatgttgta atncctccaa 420 accggctcat tttcaaanat taagccacgg gcccggaact ttggtttaac aacctcccna 480 ttgnaaaatt naaatngaaa tttttggttn c 511 64 309 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (9) n is any nucleotide 64 gttggtggng gcgatttggg tacaaggtgc gcgcctccga catggnggan gtggggcaga 60 agctggagca gntcgagatg gccatgggga tgggnggcgt gggcgctggc gccgcccctg 120 acgacaggtt ngccacccgc nggccgcgga cacngtgcan tacaacccca cngacntgtc 180 gtcttgggtc gagagcatgc tgtcggagct aaangagccg cngccgcccc tcccgcccgc 240 cccgcagctc aacgcctcca cctcctccac cgtcacgggc agcggcggct acttcgataa 300 ccctccctg 309 65 399 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (7) n is any nucleotide 65 tgatggnggg agnttanggg ttanaaatgt ggggganttc cgaannggtg agganatatn 60 ntcagaagtt ggagcagatg agagatngct gatggggata gggtaggngt gggtgccggt 120 gcngcccccn agganagatt ggccacccac ttagcaagtg ganaccgtgg attacnaccc 180 cacagacctg tcgtggttgg gtttgagagc gtggtgtggg agctgaacgg gcngcggcgt 240 gcccctcccg cccgccccgc agctcaacgc ctccacctcc tccaccgtac acgggcagcg 300 gcggctagtt cgatctcccg ccctccgtcg actcctccag cagcatntan gcgctgcggc 360 cgatcccctn cccaagcnng cgnggnccga gccgtgtan 399 66 453 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (6) n is any nucleotide 66 tttcantttc ntcctttttt cttctttttc caacccccgg cccccngacc cttggatcca 60 aatcccgaac ccgcccccag aaccnggaac cgaggccaag caaaagnttt gcgccaatta 120 ttggccagag atagatagag aggcgaggta gctcgcggat catgaagcgg gagtaccagg 180 acgccggagg gagcggcggc ggcggtggcg gcatgggttc gtccgaggac aagatgatgg 240 tgtcggcggc ggcgggggag ggggaggagg tggacgagct gctggcggcg ctcgggtaca 300 aggtgcgcgc ctccgacatg gcggacgtgg cgcagaagct ggagcagctc gagatggcca 360 tggggatggg cggcgtgggc gccggcgccg cccccgacga cagcttcgcc acccacctcg 420 ccacggacac cgtgcagtac aaccncccng acc 453 67 472 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (57) n is any nucleotide 67 ggacgacgac ctccgagccg accaccaccg gcatgtagta atgtaatccc ttcttcnttc 60 ccagtnctcc accgcctcca tgatcacccg taaaactcct aagccctatt attactacta 120 ttatgtntaa ntgtctatta ttgctangtg taattcctcc aaccgctcat atcaaaataa 180 gcacgggccg gactttgtta ncagctccaa tgagaatgaa atgaattttg tacgcaaggc 240 acgtccaaaa ctgggctgag ctttgttctg ttctgttatg ttcatggtgc tcactgctct 300 gatgaacatg atggtgcctc caatggtggc tttgcaattg ttgaaacgtt tggcttgggg 360 gacttgngtg ggtgggtgca tggggatgaa tattcacatc nccggattaa aattaagcca 420 tcccgttggc cgtcctttga atancttgcc cnaaacgaaa tttcccccna tc 472 68 233 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (4) n is any nucleotide 68 aaancctana anatatagag gcgatgtngc nccccnatca nnaacnggat tacngnaacn 60 ccngaaggag cggcggcggc ggtggcagca tnggctcgtc cgatgacaaa tatcatggtg 120 tcggcggcgg cgggggacgg ggaggaggtg cacaacnttt nggcgggact cgngtaccac 180 gtgnacggtg ccgcnctngn ggatntggcc ctngaagatg ggccacctcc aaa 233 69 200 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (37) n is any nucleotide 69 cggcggcccc gtggcggcat gggctcgtcc gaggacnaga tgatggtgtc ggcggcggcg 60 ggggangggg atgatgtgga ctatctgctg gcggcgctcg ggtacaaggt gcgcgcctcc 120 gacaggcgga gcccgcgcat aactggagcc gctcgagatg gccntgggga tnggcggcnt 180 gggcnccngc gcctcccccg 200 70 230 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (4) n is any nucleotide 70 tggngctcgg gtgncccgtg cgcgcctccg acatggcggg acgtggcgca gaactggagc 60 agctcgagat ggccatgggg atgggcggcg tgggcgccgg cgccgccccc gacgacagct 120 tcgccaccca cctcgccacg gacaccggca cacaacccca ccgacctgtc gtcttgggtc 180 gagagcatgc tgtcggatct cnacgcgccn ccgncgcccc tcccgcccgc 230 71 377 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (2) n is any nucleotide 71 annttgtncn nnntacatcc catgngccgc gcnatgctna aggtcgccgc ctacttcggc 60 gcaggccctc gcccgccgcg tcttccgctt ccgcccgcag ccggacagct ccctcctcga 120 cgccgccttc gccgacctcc tccacgcgca cttctacgag tcctgcccct acctcaagtt 180 cgcgcacttc accgccaacc aggccatcct ggaggcgttc gccggctgcc gccgcgtgca 240 cgtcgtcgac ttcggcatca agcaggggat gcagtggccc gcacttctcc aggccctcgc 300 cctccgtccc ggcggccctc cctcgttccg cctcaccggc gttcggcccc ccgcagccgg 360 acganaacga cgccctg 377 72 436 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (1) n is any nucleotide 72 nttccccggc agttaaaagc ntccacttct tccaccgtca cgggcagcgg cggntacttn 60 gatctcccgc cctcagtcga ctcctccagc agcatctacg cgctgcggcc gatcccctcc 120 ccggccggcg cgacggcgcc ggccgacctg tccgccgact ccgtgcggga tcccaagcgg 180 atgcgcactg gcgggagcag cacctcgtcg tcatcctcct catantcgtc tctcggtggg 240 ggcgccagga gctctgtggt ggaggcngcc ccgccggtcg cggccgcggc caacgcgacg 300 cccgcgctgc cggtcgtcgt ggtcgacacg caggaggccg ggattcggat ggtgcacgcg 360 ctgntggcgt gcgcggaggc cgtgnaagca gttngaaggg cctncgccgt gnatnncgca 420 acaannngga agnccn 436 73 425 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (3) n is any nucleotide 73 cancccgctg ntcgccacct cggcatggcg cctggccggg ccgtgatctc gcgagttttg 60 aacgctgtaa gtacacatcg tgagcatgga ggacaacaca gccccggcgg ccgccccggc 120 tctccggcga acgcacgcac gcacgcactt gaagaagaag aagctaaatg tcatgtcagt 180 gagcgctgaa ttgcancgac cggctacgat cgatcgggct acgggtggtt ccgtccgtct 240 ggcgtgaaga ggtggatgga cgacgaactc cganccgacc accaccggca tgtagtaatg 300 taatcccttc ttcgttccca gtttctccac cgcctccatg atcaccccgt aaaactccta 360 agccctatnn nttactacna ttaatgtttt aaantgttct antaattgct atgntgttta 420 ttncc 425 74 285 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (24) n is any nucleotide 74 tatcgaagta gccgccgctg cccntgcacg gtggaggagg tggaggcgtt gagctgcggg 60 gcgggcggga ggggcggcgg cggcacgttn agctccgaca gcatgctctc gacccaaaac 120 nacaggtcgg tggggttgta gtgcacggtg tccgtggcga gggggtggcn aanctgtcgt 180 caggggcggc gccngcgccc acnccgccca tccccatggc catctcganc tgctccagct 240 tctgcgccac ttccnccatg tcngatgcgc gcnccttgta cccga 285 75 259 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (10) n is any nucleotide 75 acggcgcggn ccncgcnngc ttgggagggg atcggccgca gcgcntanat gctgctggag 60 gagtcgacgg agggcgggag atcgaactag ccgccgctgc ccgtgtacgg tggaggaggt 120 ggaggcgttg agctgcgggg cgggcgggag gggcagcngc tgcacgttna gctcccacac 180 cacgtctctc aacccaacca cgacncgtct gtggggtngt aatncacggt ntccctngct 240 angtgggtgg ccaatctnt 259 76 324 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (158) n is any nucleotide 76 cacggtgtcc gtggcgaggt gggtggcgaa gctgtcgtcg ggggcggcgc cggcgcccac 60 gccgcccatc cccatggcca tctcgagctg ctccagcttc tgcgccacgt ccgccatgtc 120 ggaggcgcgc accttgtacc cgagcgccgc cagcagcncg nccacctcct ccccctcccc 180 cgccgccgcc gacaccatca tcttgtcctc ggacganccc atgccgccac cgccgccgcc 240 gctccctccg gcgtcctggt actcccgctt catgatccgc gagctacctc gcctctctat 300 ctatctctgg ccaataattg cgca 324 77 408 DNA Triticum aestivum misc_feature (38) n is any nucleotide 77 gaccaccacc ggcatgtagt aatgtaatcc cttcttcntt cccagttctc caccgcctcc 60 atgatcaccc gtaaaactcc taagccctat tattactact attatgtnta aatgtctatt 120 attgctangt gtaattcctc caaccgctca tatcaaaata agcacgggcc ggactttgtt 180 agcagctcca atgagaatga aatgaatttt gtacgcaagg cacgtccaaa actgggctga 240 gctttgttct gttctgttat gttcatggtg ctcactgctc tgatgaacat gatggtgcct 300 ccaatgggtg gctttgcaat tgttgaacgt tttggcttgg gggacttggt gnntggtgca 360 tgggaatgaa nattccacat ccncnggaat taaaattagc ccatcccg 408 78 84 PRT Arabidopsis thaliana 78 Met Lys Arg Asp His His His His His Gln Asp Lys Lys Thr Met Met 1 5 10 15 Met Asn Glu Glu Asp Asp Gly Asn Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Val 20 25 30 Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ser Ser Glu Met Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys 35 40 45 Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Val Met Met Ser Asn Val Gln Glu Asp Asp Leu 50 55 60 Ser Gln Leu Ala Thr Glu Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Ala Glu Leu Tyr 65 70 75 80 Thr Trp Leu Asp 79 87 PRT Oryza sativa SITE (26) Xaa is unknown or other amino acid 79 Glu Ala Gly Gly Ser Ser Gly Gly Gly Ser Ser Ala Asp Met Gly Ser 1 5 10 15 Cys Lys Asp Lys Val Met Ala Gly Ala Xaa Gly Glu Glu Glu Xaa Val 20 25 30 Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ser Ser Asp Met 35 40 45 Ala Asp Val Ala Gln Lys Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Met Ala Met Gly Met 50 55 60 Gly Gly Val Thr Pro Pro Ala Gln Arg Met Thr Gly Ser Cys Arg Thr 65 70 75 80 Trp Pro Arg Thr Lys Phe Ile 85 80 19 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 80 ggcgatgaca cggatgacg 19 81 29 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 81 cttgcgcatg gcaccgccct gcgacgaag 29 82 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 82 ccagctaata atggcttgcg cgcctcg 27 83 21 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 83 tatcccagaa ccgaaaccga g 21 84 26 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 84 cggcgtcttg gtactcgcgc ttcatg 26 85 26 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 85 tgggctcccg cgccgagtcc gtggac 26 86 31 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 86 ctccaagcct cttgcgctga ccgagatcga g 31 87 31 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 87 tccacaggct caccagtcac caacatcaat c 31 88 30 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 88 acggtactgg aagtccacgc ggatggtgtg 30 89 29 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 89 cgcacaccat ccgcgtggac ttccagtac 29 90 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 90 ctcggccggc agatctgcaa cgtggtg 27 91 33 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 91 ttgtgacggt ggacgatgtg gacgcgagcc ttg 33 92 32 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 92 ggacgctgcg acaaaccgtc catcgatcca ac 32 93 30 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 93 tccgaaatca tgaagcgcga gtaccaagac 30 94 29 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 94 tcgggtacaa ggtgcgttcg tcggatatg 29 95 21 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 95 atgaagcgcg agtaccaaga c 21 96 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 96 gtgtgccttg atgcggtcca gaag 24 97 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 97 aaccacccct ccctgatcac ggag 24 98 26 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 98 cactaggagc tccgtggtcg aagctg 26 99 25 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 99 gctgcgcaag aagccggtgc agctc 25 100 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 100 agtacacttc cgacatgact tg 22 101 4 PRT Zea mays 101 Val Ala Gln Lys 1 102 12 PRT Zea mays 102 Leu Ala Thr Asp Thr Val His Tyr Asn Pro Ser Asp 1 5 10 103 13 PRT Triticum aestivum 103 Leu Asn Ala Pro Pro Pro Pro Leu Pro Pro Ala Pro Gln 1 5 10 104 17 PRT Triticum aestivum 104 Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ala Ser Asp Met 1 5 10 15 Ala 105 51 DNA Triticum aestivum 105 gacgagctgc tggcggcgct cgggtacaag gtgcgcgcct ccgacatggc g 51 106 17 PRT Zea mays 106 Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Leu Gly Tyr Lys Val Arg Ser Ser Asp Met 1 5 10 15 Ala 107 5 PRT Arabidopsis thaliana 107 Asp Glu Leu Leu Ala 1 5 108 4 PRT Arabidopsis thaliana 108 Glu Gln Leu Glu 1 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of a Rht polypeptide obtained from Triticum aestivum, said sequence comprising the amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRASDMA (SEQ ID NO:104), and which on expression in a Triticum aestivum plant provides inhibition of growth of the plant, which inhibition is antagonised by gibberellin.
 2. An isolated polynucleotide according to claim 1 which includes the nucleotide sequence of nucleic acid abtained from Triticum aestivum encoding the Rht polypeptide, the nucleotide sequence including GACGAGCTGCTGGCGGCGCTCGGGTACAAGGTGCGCGCCTCCGACATGGCG (SEQ ID NO:105).
 3. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 8b (SEQ ID NO:7).
 4. An isolated polynucleotide according to claim 3 which has the coding nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 8a (SEQ ID NO:14).
 5. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which on expression in a plant provides inhibition of growth of the plant, which inhibition is antagonised by gibberellin, wherein said polynucleotide specifically hybridizes to the sequence of FIG. 8A (SEQ ID NO:14) at 65° C. in 0.25M Na₂HPO₄, pH 7.2, 6.5% SDS, 10% dextran sulphate and a final wash at 60° C. in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, and; wherein said polypeptide includes the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 9b (SEQ ID NO:8) for the maize D8 polypeptide.
 6. An isolated polynucleotide according to claim 5 which has the coding nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 9a (SEQ ID NO:15).
 7. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which on expression in a plant provides inhibition of growth of the plant, which inhibition is antagonised by gibberellin, wherein said polynucleotide specifically hybridizes to the sequence of FIG. 8A (SEQ ID NO: 14) at 65° C. in 0.25M Na₂HPO₄, pH 7.2, 6.5% SDS, 10% dextran sulphate and a final wash at 60° C. in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, and; wherein said polypeptide includes the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 6b (SEQ ID NO: 5).
 8. An isolated polynucleotide according to claim 7 which has the coding nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 6a (SEQ ID NO:12).
 9. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which on expression in a plant confers a phenotype on the plant which is gibberellin-unresponsive dwarfism or which on expression in a rht null mutant phenotype plant complements the rht null mutants phenotype, such rht null mutant phenotype being resistant to the dwarfing effect of paclobutrazol, which polynucleotide has the coding nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 9a (SEQ ID NO: 15) wherein the nucleotides encoding the amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRSSDMA (SEQ ID NO: 106) are deleted.
 10. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which on expression in a plant confers a phenotype on the plant which is gibberellin-unresponsive dwarfism or which on expression in a rht null mutant phenotype plant complements the rht null mutants phenotype, such rht null mutant phenotype being resistant to the dwarfing effect of paclobutrazol, which polynucleotide has the coding nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 6a (SEQ ID NO: 12), wherein the nucleotides encoding the amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRSSDMA (SEQ ID NO: 106) are deleted.
 11. An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 8b (SEQ ID NO:7), with the amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRASDMA (SEQ ID NO:104) deleted.
 12. An isolated polynucleotide according to claim 11 which has the coding nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 8a (SEQ ID NO:14), wherein the nucleotides encoding the amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRASDMA (SEQ ID NO:104) are deleted.
 13. An isolated polynucleotide comprising the isolated polynucleotide according to claim 1 operably linked to a regulatory sequence for expression.
 14. An isolated polynucleotide according to claim 13 wherein the regulatory sequence includes an inducible promoter.
 15. A nucleic acid vector for transformation of a plant cell and including the polynucleotide according to claim
 1. 16. A host cell containing a heterologous polynucleotide or nucleic acid vector each comprising the isolated polynucleotide according to claim
 1. 17. A host cell according to claim 16 which is a microbial cell.
 18. A host cell according to claim 16 which is a plant cell.
 19. A plant cell according to claim 18 having said heterologous polynucleotide in its genome.
 20. A plant cell according to claim 19 having more than one said polynucleotide per haploid genome.
 21. A plant cell according to claim 18 which is comprised in a plant, a plant part or a plant propagule, or an extract of a plant.
 22. A method of producing the host cell according to claim 18, the method including incorporating said heterologous polynucleotide or nucleic acid vector into the cell by means of transformation.
 23. The method according to claim 22 which includes recombining the polynucleotide with the cell genome such that it is stably incorporated therein.
 24. The method according to claim 22 wherein said host cell is a plant cell and said method further includes regenerating a plant from one or more of said transformed cells.
 25. A plant comprising the plant cell according to claim
 18. 26. A part or propagule of a plant comprising a plant cell according to claim
 18. 27. A method of producing a plant, the method including incorporating a polynucleotide according to claim 1 into a plant cell and regenerating a plant from said plant cell.
 28. A method according to claim 27 further including sexually or asexually propagating or growing off-spring or a descendant of the plant regenerated from said plant cell.
 29. A method of influencing the growth of a plant, the method including causing or allowing expression from a heterologous polynucleotide comprising the isolated polynucleotide according to claim 1 within cells of the plant, whereby said expression of said heterologous polypeptide influences the growth of said plant.
 30. A method of identifying or obtaining a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence DELLAALGYKVRASDMA (SEQ ID NO:104) and which on expression in a plant provides inhibition of growth of the plant, which inhibition is antagonised by gibberellin, wherein said polynucleotide specifically hybridizes to the sequence of FIG. 8A (SEQ ID NO: 14) at 65° C. in 0.25M Na₂HPO₄, pH 7.2, 6.5% SDS, 10% dextran sulphate and a final wash at 60° C. in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS., the method comprising screening candidate nucleic acid by PCR using oligonucleotide primers selected from those shown in Tables 1 (SEQ ID NO: 21-SEQ ID NO:55) and 2 (SEQ ID NO: 80-SEQ ID NO:100).
 31. The method according to claim 27 further comprising growing off-spring of or a descendant of the plant regenerated rom said plant cell. 